A method, apparatus, and system are directed towards employing a chain of permission keys obtained during playing of advertisements within content to enable continued playing of the content. A sequence of encoded permission keys are generated with each encoded permission key, except a last permission key, incorporating a scrambling key useable to decode a next encoded permission key within the sequence of encoded permission keys that enables playing of a next portion of the content. If playing of any advertisement within the content is avoided, then access to an associated scrambling key useable to decode a next permission key is prevented, which in turn inhibits playing of a next portion of the content. In another embodiment, a heartbeat analysis may also be performed to monitor if skipping of an advertisement is being attempted, and if so, playing of the content is prevented.