Court Stops Pakistan Cricket Board from Signing Gambling Sponsorships

Gambling sponsorships with professional sports leagues across the globe enable operators to reach new audiences. In some cases, those audiences are located in markets where iGaming or sports betting isn’t permitted, and this can result in a range of implications. A similar case involving the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) saw a court in the country prohibit it from entering into agreements with betting companies.

Proxy Companies Helped Betting Operators Reach Customers

The court’s decision follows a petition filed by resident Syed Muhammad Tanseer Ahmad Sherazi, as announced by local media. The man took issue with the active gambling sponsorships between the Pakistan Super League (PSL), PCB and betting companies that saw gambling logos appear on the uniforms of PSL and national cricket team players.

Although gambling is illegal in Pakistan, logos belonging to international casinos and betting operators appeared on the cricket players’ uniforms which caught the attention of Sherazi who challenged the controversial partnerships. The list of operators that have chosen such a way to advertise their products includes MelBAT, 1xBat, as well as BJ Sports, among others.

Nouman Muhib Kakakhel, an attorney representing Sherazi argued that through the gambling sponsorships, betting companies were able to reach players in Pakistan, despite the gambling prohibition in the country. He claimed that the operators used the services of proxy companies to promote their services and even reach underage individuals.

Concerningly, Kakakhel argued that betting platforms used financial services available in Pakistan, effectively enabling residents to circumvent the gambling ban and place bets on sports. To make matters worse, such betting apps are allegedly available for download via iOS and Android devices.

PCB and PSL Are Banned from Signing Betting Deals

The petition was reviewed by the Peshawar High Court (PHC) and resulted in a prohibition of gambling sponsorships applicable to the PCB and PSL. The ruling that effectively banned gambling sponsorships was announced by Justice Waqar Ahmad and Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim.

Upon reviewing evidence, the court uncovered that betting operators presented themselves as sports news outlets and other providers in order to engage with audiences in the country.

It’s not only the court that found an issue with betting companies advertising via cricket. Some cricket players are also not particularly happy to promote gambling. Muhammad Rizwan, a famous cricket player with the PSL, appeared at a game with a tape placed across the gambling logo on his jersey.

Cricket in Pakistan isn’t the only sport that recently sought to shed the betting logos from players’ shirts. Notably, similar a move affects soccer in the United Kingdom. This will see English Premier League clubs enforce a voluntary front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship ban starting with the 2026-2027 season.