The Narendra Modi government on Monday gave advisories to digital publishers, OTT platforms, and private satellite television channels, requesting them to abstain from distributing advertisements from online betting platforms.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in its warning said it was seen that promotional content and advertisements of betting platforms are as yet noticeable on specific digital news platforms and OTT platforms. The government likewise said that a few online offshore betting platforms have begun involving news sites as a substitute item to promote betting platforms on digital media.
Emphasizing that betting and gambling are criminal behavior in most parts of India, the ministry expressed that advertisements for online offshore betting and gambling are restricted.
The ministry directed that concerning the advertisements of the proxy news sites run by the online betting platforms, the logos of the concerned news sites are like those betting platforms, which are not enlisted with any legitimate authorities.
“Accordingly. the online offshore betting platforms appear to be promoting betting and gambling under the garb of news as surrogate advertising. In this regard, the Department of Consumer Affairs has also informed that online betting platforms have been advertising themselves as professional sports blogs, sports news websites, etc. while providing an indicative list of online betting platforms which are using news for surrogate advertising,” the government added.
The ministry has categorically asked the news sites and OTT platforms to avoid broadcasting promotions of online betting platforms, or their substitute news sites.
Further, in its advisories to the private channels, the I&B ministry claimed a few online offshore betting platforms have begun involving news sites as a substitute item to promote their betting platforms on Television channels.
The Centre reminded that betting and gambling are unlawful in most parts of India, likewise, bringing up that advertisements of proxy sites show these betting platforms having the identical logos as their parent organization was run on the Television channels as they are not enlisted with any legitimate authority under the Indian regulation.
“In this regard, the Department of Consumer Affairs has also informed that online betting platforms have been advertising themselves as professional sports blogs, sports news websites, etc. while providing an indicative list of online betting platforms which are using news for surrogate advertising”, the government said.
“Contravention/violation of the above may invite penal action under the applicable laws”, the ministry warned.
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