Surrogate betting ads resurface during cricket telecast

ISLAMABAD: Despite a previously declared government policy of “zero tolerance” towards surrogate betting companies, a leading private Pakistani sports channel has broadcast a surrogate betting advertisement during a livestream of the India vs Australia cricket match — raising fresh concerns about regulatory enforcement.

The development comes nearly two years after state-run Pakistan Television (PTV Sports) suspended its broadcast of the Pakistan vs Australia Test match in Melbourne following immediate action by the then minister for information and broadcasting on December 26, 2023.

At the time, PTV had cited concerns over virtual advertising by surrogate betting companies, in line with a strict policy issued by the then Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government.

In that 2023 incident, PTV had discontinued the telecast and lodged complaints with the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), reporting the issue to both the parent broadcaster and other stakeholders. A subsequent government investigation concluded that the surrogate advertisements had not originated from the foreign broadcaster, but were instead promoted by PTV itself — a finding that led to disciplinary actions within the state broadcaster.

However, in a similar case today (Sunday), a private national sports channel displayed a surrogate betting company’s hologram during a live cricket broadcast. Notably, the parent broadcaster in India, from which the feed was likely sourced, refrained from airing the same advertisement, suggesting the content was inserted locally in Pakistan. When contacted PEMRA for comments, this correspondent did not get any response. The minister concerned was also approached for comment via WhatsApp, but no reply was received despite the message being seen.

The “zero tolerance” policy was introduced under former Information Minister, during the PDM government. As part of the crackdown, more than 150 surrogate betting platforms were banned, and PEMRA, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and other institutions were instructed to strictly enforce the policy, with warnings of action against non-compliance.

“The reappearance of such advertisements on mainstream television now indicates a potential lapse in oversight, reigniting public and media scrutiny of the regulatory bodies responsible for upholding broadcasting standards”, a source said in background discussion with The News.

As of now, no official explanation has been provided for the apparent policy reversal or the absence of enforcement, leaving questions about accountability and media ethics unanswered.