Pakistani YouTuber Ducky Bhai released on bail in online gambling case

A Pakistani court approved on Monday bail for YouTuber Saad-ur-Rehman, widely known online as Ducky Bhai, in a case accusing him of promoting illegal online gambling platforms.

Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhary of The Lahore High Court granted Rehman bail against a surety bond of PKR 1 million (about $3,600). Rehman had been in custody since his arrest on Aug. 17 at Lahore’s international airport, where officials from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) detained him.

The case was filed shortly after midnight on the day of his arrest. The formal complaint, or First Information Report (FIR), cites sections of Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, including electronic forgery, fraud, spamming, and spoofing. It also references sections of the Pakistan Penal Code related to offering unlawful prizes and cheating.

Authorities said the case stems from a June 13 inquiry after investigators received reports that several digital influencers, including Rehman, were promoting online betting apps to their followers in exchange for money.

Rehman was detained while trying to leave Pakistan, despite being on a government “Prohibited/National Interest List,” which bars certain individuals from traveling abroad. Pakistani authorities say he advertised gambling apps such as 1XBet and Binimi through his YouTube channel and other social media accounts, both of which are illegal under the country’s cybercrime and criminal laws.

The FIR, registered as No. 196/25, also involved the confiscation of Rehman’s mobile phone. A local court had previously approved a two-day physical remand for police to continue their investigation. The raid was led by NCCIA officers Shoaib Riaz, Yasir Ramzan, and Tahir.

Who is Saad-ur-Rehman aka Ducky bhai?

Rehman, who has more than eight million subscribers, is one of Pakistan’s most prominent content creators. He is known for family vlogs, gaming videos, and online controversies. His arrest drew significant attention across Pakistan’s online community.

This is not Rehman’s first legal issue.

In 2023, he and his wife Aroob were briefly detained after a firearm appeared in one of her Instagram posts; they were released without charges after submitting written apologies.

The couple has also been involved in other controversies, including a deepfake video scandal targeting Aroob, for which they offered PKR 1 million (about $3,600) as a reward for information on the perpetrator.