Sugarcoated betting ads are unstoppable on TV

These days, you can not just enjoy a cricket match anymore. Ads from dubious companies like 1xBet, MelBat, or Jeetbuzz flood your screen. 

It feels as if the game itself has been reduced to a vehicle for promoting these brands. But it was not the case even a few years ago, and these ads were certainly not this aggressive. 

There is no room to take cricket betting lightly. Such promotions often lead to people losing their hard earned cash. In Bangladesh, gambling is illegal and a taboo, so it is hard to find people who will speak on record about the devastating impact it has had on their lives. But it is widespread and can be found among our friends and neighbours. 

One of my neighbours, who is a college student, is a regular cricket-better. He lives in constant tension and anxiety over his bets. On days he has won big bucks, he often treats himself to lavish restaurants, and sometimes I join him. And on days he loses, he asks me for money so he can sustain himself. 

A shopkeeper in the Narayanganj New Market had four shops. He had to sell three of them to pay his debts. 

Another man from Demra had to sell his land for Tk14 lakh to pay his debts. He would have lost his house too, had his wife not intervened and forced him to mend his ways. 

In Tolarbagh, a locality in Mirpur, law enforcers ordered tea stalls to shut down to prevent teenagers from betting during the IPL season. The decision came after they beat one another up over betting. One of the youth reportedly tried to commit suicide by jumping off his roof after incurring a huge loss.

Cricket is a game of skill, prowess and celebration, not a source of cheap thrills and betting. The betting epidemic is ruining the game. 

There is not an exact figure, but those who bet regularly are of the opinion that during the IPL season, the cricket betting industry grows to nearly Tk1,000 crore. 

Each year, more than one crore Bangladeshi people view cricket matches on television, which is the highest number of viewers for any event in the country. 

According to Semrush Open.Trends, the most visited gambling sites from Bangladesh are download1xbet.com, jamcity.com, bet365.com, stake.com, and 1xbet.com. And these sites are supposed to be illegal. 

What are surrogate ads? 

Sports betting companies face a unique challenge: their core product, gambling, is often restricted or even illegal in many regions. But this hurdle does not stop them from reaching potential customers though. 

They have mastered the art of surrogate advertising, a clever way to bypass regulations and get their brand name in front of viewers.

Betting companies create names and logos that closely resemble their actual brand. They might change a letter or two, keeping the overall look and feel familiar. For instance, '1xBet' might become '1xBat', a supposed sporting line. 

The surrogate brand uses colour schemes and fonts that are strikingly similar to the betting platform. This visual association strengthens the connection in the viewer's mind. 

Surrogate ads employ slogans and catchphrases that hint at the actual betting product. For example, Melbat has this catchphrase - 'Play your game. Step in.' When you search on the internet, you will find the betting site Melbet there. 

The surrogate ad epidemic on TV

It is hard to find out an exact figure on the number of surrogate ads on TV. It is mostly prevalent in sports channels like T-Sports. 

To figure out the scale of such advertisements, I conducted a representative survey. I watched IPL matches on T-Sports from 15 April to 23 April and counted the number of surrogate betting ads. 

Finally, after 10 matches, I discovered that a total of 1,340 surrogate ads had been aired during that time. Those ads came in all forms, from full ads to scroll ads and pop-ups. Here is the complete list: 

This makes an average of 134 ads in a match, or 77 ads in an inning. And interestingly, all of the sites take you to the betting site or advertise the betting site to you. 

The result provides a concerning glimpse into the aggressive marketing tactics of betting companies on Bangladeshi television. With an average of 134 ads per match over 10 matches, viewers were bombarded with betting messages. 

This high frequency creates a sense of normalcy and familiarity, potentially lowering viewers' guard against the addictive nature of gambling. 

Also, the presence of full ads, scroll ads, and pop-ups indicates a multi-pronged marketing strategy. Full ads create a direct impact, while scroll ads and pop-ups keep the betting company logo and brand name constantly in the viewer's peripheral vision, subtly reinforcing brand recall.

The most concerning part is preying upon the sports fans. Broadcasting these ads during the IPL - a major sporting event seen by millions of sports fans, demonstrates a clear target audience — sports enthusiasts. 

This capitalises on the viewer's heightened emotions and engagement during the matches, making them more susceptible to impulsive betting decisions.

Easy access to betting information through constant exposure can lead viewers, particularly younger audiences, to develop unhealthy gambling habits. You can find schoolchildren betting on these sites regularly, and it is alarming. 

The rise of smartphones and mobile apps has made online betting incredibly accessible. Fans can now place bets easily from anywhere, anytime, further fueling the betting frenzy.

After going through a number of mobile betting apps, it became obvious that these are designed to be addictive. And the companies take everything — bKash, Nagad, debit cards, credit cards. 

Gambling addiction can have devastating social consequences. Relationships can come under strain, mental health can deteriorate, and some gamblers might even resort to criminal activity to fund their addiction.

What are the regulators doing? 

All sorts of gambling are illegal in Bangladesh. Barrister Sameer Sattar, former President of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), explained the legal regime around betting ads. 

"Article 18(2) of the Bangladesh Constitution states clearly that the state would take appropriate action to stop gambling of any kind. As a result, this article prohibits gambling on public property and guides state legislative initiatives. The main legislation that controls gaming in Bangladesh is the Public Gaming Act of 1867."
 
"Additionally, gambling is mentioned in a few sporadic sections of Bangladeshi statutes, including Section 92 of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Amendment) Ordinance, 1976 and Section 294A of the Penal Code, 1860," he said, adding, "Therefore, there is just no legal basis for such surrogate ads."  

However, there is a catch. The legality of internet gaming and betting sites in Bangladesh is murky and complicated. Since the laws covering gambling were passed long before online gambling became popular, it is difficult to establish a clear legal framework for these activities in the country. Consequently, their applicability to online platforms is open to interpretation.

"The ads are clearly misleading," Barrister Sameer Sattar said, adding "it is evident that these ads are for the parent betting companies like 1xBet or Melbet. There was a High Court rule in 2022 asking why the TV channels air such ads." 

To figure out what the law enforcement agencies are doing to prevent such ads, I talked to Muhammad Rezaul Masud, Additional DIG at the Cyber Police Centre, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Bangladesh Police. 

"We have notified the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that betting ads are still being aired on TV channels," he said, "and told them to take action against these ads. We also regularly report on their activities and send those reports to the ministry." 

The Cyber Police Centre, CID, has also run an awareness campaign to educate people about online betting. 

"We ran awareness campaigns on Facebook, our website, and other media to inform the masses about the ill effects of online betting. We urge them not to follow such TV ads, or the talks of celebrities or TikTokers and get entangled in the web of betting." 

With their substantial financial resources, betting companies can outbid traditional sponsors for coveted advertising slots during matches and broadcasts. This guarantees them full attention of the millions of viewers. The authorities must impose strict regulations on this.