Iraq blocks Ludo over “dangerous” threats to families

Shafaq News - Baghdad

On Tuesday, the Iraqi Ministry of Communications blocked the game “Ludo” to protect families from “cyber extortion” caused by the game’s betting system.

In a statement, the ministry explained that the decision came after the game began causing conflicts between husbands and wives, by pushing them toward “dangerous and unacceptable behaviors,” including private chat rooms that reportedly enable sexual exploitation and cyberblackmail, as well as the spread of immoral content.

The move followed a Shafaq News report exposing how the betting version of Ludo turned into “an informal gambling platform,” with experts warning that “combining entertainment with betting increases the risk of addiction and social problems.”

Read more: Ludo’s hidden bets: Iraqi youth caught in a new wave of digital gambling

In October, Iraq banned the game Roblox due to the risks it poses to children’s safety, behavior, and social values, after authorities proved that the game “exposes minors to exploitation or cyberblackmail and contains practices incompatible with Iraqi traditions.”