Government clamps down on surrogate betting firms defying ban

The Federal Ministry of Information has issued a directive to prohibit the promotion of surrogate entities affiliated with betting houses through any form of advertising.

Despite previous instructions to cease such activities, the ministry states that surrogate advertising firms persisted in their promotional efforts. Reports of blatant violations were received during the live broadcast of the Pakistan Cricket team's tour to Australia, airing on various media outlets, including Pakistan Television.

During the extended live broadcast, logos from at least two betting companies were continuously displayed, prompting the ministry to emphasize that it had previously issued directives to halt such activities. The ministry plans to conduct an investigation to identify and assign responsibility for these actions, with a comprehensive report expected within a week.

The ministry has instructed a thorough inquiry into the reasons behind non-compliance, and the responsible parties are required to submit a detailed report within a week from the issuance of this directive. The National Broadcaster PTV has addressed the issue with the parent right holders, urging the removal of digital placements for all surrogate betting companies on the ground. Failure to comply may result in the termination of agreements between licensors and licensees.

PEMRA has been advised to enforce national laws and licensing conditions prohibiting surrogate companies from promoting betting in Pakistan. Failure to adhere to these regulations may lead to the cancellation of landing rights for TV channels involved. 
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has also been directed to implement the ministry's instructions, and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has been urged to halt all illegal surrogate betting, gambling, and casino activities while establishing a monitoring mechanism for surrogate advertising.