The Peshawar High Court has directed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to prohibit betting companies from sponsoring teams or displaying their logos on the shirts of national cricket players and Pakistan Super League (PSL) club players.
This ruling came in response to a petition filed by Syed Muhammad Tanseer Ahmad Sherazi, challenging the involvement of surrogate corporations of international betting companies in sponsoring PSL and PCB events.
The case was heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Waqar Ahmad. Advocate Nouman Muhib Kakakhel, representing the petitioner, argued that betting and gambling are illegal in Pakistan. He highlighted that surrogate companies, posing as legitimate sponsors, were enticing the younger generation to engage in betting through PSL sponsorships. These companies were allegedly using their logos on franchise shirts to promote betting via mobile applications available on Android and iOS platforms.
Kakakhel further explained that these applications allow Pakistanis to deposit money into their profiles using local banking services and microfinance platforms like Easy Paisa and Jazz Cash, which are then used for betting. He pointed out that these companies maintain helpline numbers in Pakistan to assist users in placing bets on various sports events.
The court was informed that these companies often masquerade as sports news outlets or sports utilities manufacturers, but their primary focus is on gambling. Internet searches reveal that they are indeed surrogate companies of foreign gambling corporations, sharing identical names and logos.
In response, the counsel representing the PCB presented documents and minutes from meetings held after the petition was filed. These documents indicated that the PCB had convened several meetings with stakeholders, resulting in a decision to ban surrogate corporations of gambling companies from sponsoring PSL teams or the national cricket team. The PCB also identified specific betting companies, such as 1xBat and MelBAT, by name.
Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim noted a particular incident where Pakistani cricketer Muhammad Rizwan was seen with tape covering a betting company’s name on his shirt during a PSL match. This, he commented, was indicative of the discomfort even superstar cricketers feel about being associated with betting company sponsorships, which he described as alarming.
