Stop ads of offshore betting sites, government to digital media platforms, TV channels

On the grounds that such advertisements posed a financial and socio-economic risk for consumers, particularly youth and children, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued two advisories to private television channels, digital news publishers, and OTT (over-the-top) platforms prohibiting them from showing advertisements of online betting sites and surrogate advertisements of such sites.

According to the Ministry, various sports networks on television and on OTT platforms have recently started airing commercials for offshore online betting firms and their substitute news websites, including Fairplay, PariMatch, Betway, Wolf 777, and 1xBet. These fake news websites' logos are strikingly similar to betting websites. According to the Ministry, neither the news websites nor the betting platforms are authorised to operate in India. These websites serve as substitute advertising, pushing betting and gambling under the guise of news.

The Ministry also stated in its recommendation that "because betting and gambling are prohibited throughout much of the nation, ads for these betting platforms and their substitutes are also prohibited."

In the majority of India, betting and gambling are forbidden. The I&B Ministry stated in its advisory that because betting and gambling are illegal, advertisements for online offshore betting and gambling platforms are also illegal. This is in accordance with Paragraph 9 of the Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements 2022 under the Consumer Protection Act of 2019.

The Ministry also stated in its recommendation that "because betting and gambling are prohibited throughout much of the nation, ads for these betting platforms and their substitutes are also prohibited."

In the majority of India, betting and gambling are forbidden. The I&B Ministry stated in its advisory that because betting and gambling are illegal, advertisements for online offshore betting and gambling platforms are also illegal. This is in accordance with Paragraph 9 of the Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements 2022 under the Consumer Protection Act of 2019.

The ministry stated in its second advisory that because advertising for betting platforms is forbidden under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, it is not permitted to do so.

Therefore, in the interest of the general public, the Ministry of Information and Broadcast has requested that OTT platforms, digital media websites, and TV channels refrain from advertising or otherwise promoting offline or online betting and gambling platforms and services. "Online news websites and OTT platforms are strongly advised to refrain from broadcasting advertisements of online betting platforms and/or their surrogate news websites or any such product/service depicting these platforms in a surrogate manner," the ministry added. "In light of the Ministry's Advisory dated 13.06.2022 and the above, and having regard to the larger public interest involved."