The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been banned from agreeing sponsorship deals with betting companies after the Peshawar High Court considered a petition which challenged deals with so-called ‘proxy’ firms.
The petition questioned deals the PCB and the Pakistan Super League have with companies that are linked to international betting organisations and casinos, such as 1xBat and MelBAT.
The petition was filed by resident Syed Muhammad Tanseer Ahmad Sherazi and the ruling was made by a bench that included Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Waqar Ahmad.
The ruling would ban the PCB from featuring the logos of betting companies on kits for the national team and in the Pakistan Super League T20 competition.
The petitioner was represented in court by Nouman Muhib Kakakhel, who argued that betting and gambling companies are illegal in Pakistan. It was argued that so-called proxy companies, which disguise themselves as news providers and utilities manufacturers, promote gambling among young people.
Chief Justice Ibrahim also noted that Pakistani cricketer Muhammad Rizwan had placed tape over the logo of a betting company on his shirt during a PSL game, suggesting that players are against deals with such firms.
The Express Tribune newspaper has reported that the PCB’s counsel presented documentation during the hearing to prove that it has taken steps to end its association with these companies. The documentation showed that, since the petition was filed, the governing body had met with stakeholders and banned deals with such firms.
The PCB does not have any top-tier sponsorship deals in place with betting companies. The PSL is sponsored by banking firm HBL in a deal that runs until 2025, while the National Stadium in Karachi is sponsored by the state-owned National Bank of Pakistan.
The PCB also lists soft drink brand Pepsi as a main sponsor, while Bank of Punjab recently acquired naming rights to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium as part of a five-year deal with the governing body.
Gambling sponsorship is also present in India, although the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not have any central deals with companies in the sector. The aforementioned 1xBat, whose branding closely resembles that of 1xBet, and DafaNews, which has similar branding to DafaBet, have sponsored clubs across Indian sport.
SOURCE: https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/pcb-ordered-to-ban-betting-sponsorships/