‘Refrain from advertising online betting platforms’

ADVERTISEMENTS ON ONLINE BETTING HAVE THE EFFECT OF PROMOTING ‘THIS LARGELY PROHIBITED ACTIVITY’, SAID THE I&B MINISTRY

NEW DELHI: The information and broadcasting ministry on Monday advised the print, electronic, and digital media to refrain from advertising online betting platforms, saying betting and gambling are illegal in “most parts” of the country and pose significant financial and socio-economic risk for consumers.

The ministry said the advisory has been issued in larger public interest and comes in the light of instances of a number of advertisements of online betting websites/platforms appearing in print, electronic, social, and online media.

It has advised the print and electronic media to refrain from publishing advertisements of online betting platforms. It has also advised the online and social media, including online advertisement intermediaries and publishers, to not display such advertisements in India or target such advertisements towards the Indian audience.

“Betting and gambling, illegal in most parts of the country, pose significant financial and socio-economic risk for the consumers, especially youth and children, the advisory states.

These advertisements on online betting have the effect of promoting “this largely prohibited activity”, according to a ministry statement.

In its advisory, the ministry noted that advertisements of online betting are “misleading” and they do not “appear to be” in strict conformity with the Consumer Protection Act 2019, Advertising Code under the Cable Television Networks Regulation Act, 1995, and advertisement norms under the Norms of Journalistic Conduct laid down by the Press Council of India under the Press Council Act, 1978. The ministry said it had issued an advisory to private satellite TV channels on December 4, 2020 asking them to adhere to the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) guidelines on advertisements of online gaming, “which contained specific Do’s and Dont’s for static/print and audio-visual advertisements of online gaming”.

The ASCI guidelines, which came into effect from December 15, 2020, stipulated that no gaming advertisement would depict any person, under the age of 18 years or the person who appears to be under the age of 18, engaged in playing a game of “online gaming for real money winnings”, or suggest that such persons can play these games.

“The advertisements should not present ‘online gaming for real money winnings’ as an income opportunity or an alternative employment option,” the guidelines said.