ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraq’s federal government on Tuesday banned the popular online Ludo game, citing potential “dangerous and negative effects” on the social fabric, particularly with its betting system.

Minister of Communications Hiyam al-Yasiri “decided to block the Ludo game to protect the Iraqi family from its increasing dangers and negative effects on the social fabric,” read the ministry statement.

The main concern is the game’s “betting system,” which it claimed leads to “dangerous and unacceptable acts,” as well as causing disputes “within many families between husbands and wives.”

The ministry argued that the game’s “private chat rooms” create a breeding ground for “sexual exploitation and electronic blackmail,” as well as spreading “deviant content that threatens family and social stability.”

Although traditionally a board game, the game has taken a digital form through websites and apps with millions of monthly users globally, where direct communication is possible through voice chats and chatrooms with friends and random players around the world.

Some apps usually use a virtual currency system, while some others allow real-money play where users pay an entry fee and earn or lose money depending on the game outcome.

Iraq also banned Roblox in October, citing concerns over child safety and potential exploitation of minors, and claiming that the game is incompatible with Iraq’s “social values and traditions.”

Baghdad has pursued similar measures against other popular games in the past, such as blocking Fortnite, PUBG, and Blue Whale in 2019, arguing that the games have a negative influence on the youth.