PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has issued notices to the federal government, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other respondents seeking their response to a petition against the sponsorship of the recently-held Pakistan Super League (PSL) by international betting companies and casinos through the alleged surrogate advertising.

The development came as a bench consisting of Justice Mohammad Ibrahim Khan and Justice Wiqar Ahmad held a preliminary hearing into the petition of resident Syed Tanseer Ahmad Sherazi seeking orders for the federal government to probe the matter and stop PSL teams from getting sponsored by casinos.

The petitioner also prayed the court to order a ban on certain mobile apps of those casinos and betting sites and issue directions to the PCB to devise a comprehensive code of conduct for the PSL.

The petitioner’s counsel, Saifullah Muhib Kakakhel, said betting was prohibited in the country but the PSL sponsorship by surrogate companies attracted the local youth.

He claimed that Pakistanis could easily put their money in those betting apps from their bank accounts or microfinance companies.

The lawyer said it was surprising that those betting companies had their helplines in the country to help locals bet on sports events. He added that it was reported that some former cricketers had flayed the PSL for allowing sponsorship by surrogate companies, whose parent company basically ran casinos and was involved in betting. Mr Kakakhel claimed that when people searched for the sponsor company, they were directed to betting websites. He added that one of the players had used a piece of tape to hide a sticker of a sponsor, whose parent company ran a casino, on his shirt. The counsel said the companies portrayed themselves to be sports news and sports utilities manufacturers but their products were not available or were making enough profits as they were not focused.

He added that when those companies were searched on the internet, they were found to be surrogate companies of gambling foreign corporations, with an identical name and logo.

Published in The Daily National Courier, April, 14 2023

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