A view of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) building in Islamabad. — AFP/File
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority says it is taking several steps against illegal surrogate betting platforms, which have re-emerged in Pakistan.
Last year, the caretaker setup of Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar imposed a blanket ban on more than 150 such platforms, while the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued a notification titled “Zero Tolerance for Surrogate Betting Companies,” warning media houses and state institutions of severe penalties if found promoting betting applications. The then government even suspended the state broadcaster’s sports channel transmission for airing the logo of a betting company during an international cricket series.
However, less than a year later, the same betting companies have resurfaced with active digital campaigns, outdoor advertisements, and promotional sponsorships. Adding to the controversy, a noted former cricketer continues to promote one of the biggest betting operators, despite complaints filed with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCIAA).
The News questioned Pakistan Telecommunication Authority why these advertisements are not being effectively blocked by the authority on social media.
To this PTA officially responded saying, “As per Section 37 of Prevention of Electronic Crime Act, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has been empowered to remove or block or issue directions for blocking/removal of unlawful online content if it considers it necessary in the interest of defence of Pakistan, glory of Islam, contempt of court, decency and morality, defamation, child pornography, modesty of natural person, dignity of natural person, public order, hate speech, incitement to an offence etc. However, for matters where criminal/financial or regulatory investigations or remedial actions, PTA relies on complaints/recommendations from relevant stakeholder organisations i.e., National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). PTA, on the basis of complaints from the stakeholder organisations has so far managed to block 260 websites and apps involved in providing betting/gambling including 7 links pertaining to the platform in question. It is pertinent to mention that the platforms wherein the ads are being displayed are situated outside Pakistan and have their own community guidelines based on common international principles through which they regulate content on their platforms.”
For compliance of local laws, PTA further said that it is perusing the matter with relevant platforms and has taken the following steps:
1. PTA has established dedicated liaison channels with major social media platforms to report and block content that is in violation of local laws and norms of Pakistan.
2. Regular consultation sessions are conducted with major social media platforms to discuss content regulations issues and enhance cooperation for the purpose of compliance with local laws.
3. Established comprehensive complaint mechanisms for the general public as well as government stakeholder organisations to report unlawful content to PTA as per their respective mandate and scopes of work. The complaint is then reported to the social media platforms concerned for immediate removal.
4. Apart from that, PTA is carrying out extensive awareness campaigns in collaboration with multiple social media platforms such as Meta, TikTok etc. to promote safe and responsible use of the internet.
The News has also been trying to take the version of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency regarding the matter but none has responded despite repeated attempts.
The resurgence of these platforms is not merely a legal issue but also a financial and social threat. Talking to The News, experts warn that illegal betting networks are linked to money laundering, terrorism financing, and organised crimes, while normalising gambling among the country’s youth. “The involvement of celebrated sports figures further magnifies the problem by lending credibility to an industry that is constitutionally and religiously prohibited in Pakistan”, said a source on condition of anonymity.
The complaint submitted to NCIAA includes photographs and cached posts showing the cricketer endorsing gambling platforms since August 2024.