The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has made significant progress in its investigation into the alleged Rs120 billion online gambling and illegal financial transactions scandal, tracing suspicious banking transactions worth nearly Rs690 million and identifying new financial intermediaries. The investigation, being conducted under FIR No. 32/2026 by FIA Composite Circle Faisalabad, has entered a crucial phase, with investigators examining the alleged involvement of banking officials, corporate account holders, and financial facilitators in collecting and transferring gambling-related funds.
When contacted, the Director General (DG) FIA said he was personally reviewing developments in the case on a daily basis. "The Director FIA Faisalabad Zone and his team are working on the case and will brief you on the details.
I am reviewing the progress of this investigation on a daily basis," the DG FIA said. The alleged multibillion-rupee gambling and financial transactions scandal had earlier been brought to public attention through investigative reports.
The reports highlighted the suspected use of online gambling platforms, corporate banking accounts, digital payment services, and companies registered under apparently legitimate business categories to process massive financial transactions. When approached for an update, Faryal Khan, spokesperson for the Director FIA Faisalabad Zone, said the investigation was progressing rapidly and there had been no slowdown in the agency's efforts.
She explained that the case involved an exceptionally complex financial network, requiring extensive examination of corporate records, banking transactions, digital payment facilities, and possible international settlements. According to the spokesperson, correspondence was continuing with relevant government departments, banks, and financial institutions to obtain the necessary documentary evidence.
She said the agency was collecting and scrutinising records to establish the complete movement of funds, identify the individuals responsible, and determine the role of each suspected facilitator. The investigation was moving at a fast pace, she maintained, but the complicated nature of the financial transactions required detailed examination before further legal action could be initiated.
Further arrests were expected as the investigation progressed and additional evidence emerged. According to the investigation report, several Single Member Companies (SMCs) were allegedly incorporated to obtain corporate branchless banking accounts and circumvent the daily deposit limits applicable to individual accounts.
Investigators believe these corporate facilities were used to collect substantial amounts from individuals participating in online gambling activities. The FIA has obtained corporate records from the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), account-opening forms, banking documents, and detailed transaction histories.
The examination reportedly identified significant discrepancies between the declared commercial activities of several companies and the actual financial transactions conducted through their accounts. The investigation has also examined financial records linked with a local mobile phone company's digital payment platform, a local microfinance bank, and a private bank operating in Pakistan associated with a Bahrain-based financial group.
As the probe deepens, the FIA remains committed to dismantling the entire network involved in these illicit activities. The agency is coordinating with international financial watchdogs to track the flow of funds that may have crossed borders, ensuring that all perpetrators are brought to justice under the law.