According to reports, the caretaker government has banned many gambling, betting, and casino organizations from reportedly supporting select clubs in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and providing advertisements to media outlets.
Ministry of Information Statement To Cancel Agreements of Betting Companies
As a result, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting released a statement encouraging all stakeholders to avoid doing business with them and to terminate any current agreements with such “surrogate companies” as soon as possible.
Moreover, the information ministry stated in a letter to the top executives of the PCB, PEMRA, PTV, PBC, PTA, and SECP that it has come to the ministry’s attention that several betting firms have joined the Pakistani market with slightly altered titles.
Betting Companies Entry in Pakistan
According to the ministry, such a phenomena is known as surrogacy, and such firms are known as surrogates of the mother enterprises, and some of the surrogates have sponsorship and advertising contracts with a variety of media outlets and sports enterprises.
However, the ministry noted after listing the companies in the letter, “These are originally gambling, betting, and casino companies.”
It goes on to say, ““Such operations are mostly run from some hostile countries with the motive to destroy the moral fabric of Pakistan, to introduce corruption in Pakistan team and to put Pakistan into further economic turmoil through moving untaxed money out of the country in dollars.”
Betting Companies Will Not Be Allowed To Sponsor in Next PSL Season and Advertisements
It contends that many advertisements for such betting surrogate organizations are being carried in Pakistan on digital, electronic, social, and print media, and that it is important to prevent all such betting surrogate companies from operating in Pakistan.
Strict Actions Against Betting Companies
As a result, it continued, the Pakistan Cricket Board, Pakistan Super League, PSL franchises, club cricket, private leagues, television channels, radio broadcasters, internet platforms, newspapers, magazines, and other media or advertisement platforms are “strictly advised not to make any agreements and business relations with such surrogate companies and to not promote them through any kind of advertisement.”
Moreover, it said, “it is advised to immediately terminate all existing agreements with such surrogate companies.”
To read our blog on “SBP asks PCB about betting companies as sponsors of PSL 8,” click here.
