Centre warns media outlets of action over gambling ads
New Delhi: To curb the growing influence of gambling and betting advertisements in the media landscape, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Friday, issued a stern advisory to media entities, online advertising intermediaries, and social media platforms. The advisory strongly urges these stakeholders to refrain from featuring any form of advertisements or promotional content related to betting and gambling. Failure to comply with this advisory could result in punitive action from the central government under various legal statutes.
The ministry’s decision comes as a response to mounting concerns over the proliferation of betting and gambling advertisements, particularly during major sporting events. Notably, the advisory highlighted the recent crackdown by the incumbent government on a network of agents involved in funneling significant sums of money generated from gambling apps out of India. This incident underscores the substantial financial and socio-economic risks associated with gambling and betting, particularly for impressionable demographics such as youth and children.
Furthermore, the ministry raised alarm about potential links between these advertisements and money laundering networks, which could jeopardise the financial security of the nation. The advisory emphasises the need to address not only the illicit nature of such activities but also the possibility of black money being utilized for funding these advertisements.
The government’s concerns are exacerbated by the observation that some media entities, advertising intermediaries, and social media platforms have been allowing both direct and indirect promotion of betting and gambling platforms, particularly during major sporting events like cricket tournaments. The forthcoming international cricket event has heightened apprehensions of an uptick in such promotions.
To combat this issue, the I&B ministry has issued repeated advisories, with prior warnings dated June 13, October 3, last year, and April 6, this year. These advisories firmly state that gambling and betting are illegal activities and that any form of advertisement or promotion related to such activities on media platforms is in violation of various statutes, including the Consumer Protection Act of 2019 and the Press Council Act of 1978.
The advisory also references the recent amendment to rule 3 (1) (b) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. This amendment stipulates that intermediaries must take reasonable measures to prevent the hosting, display, upload, modification, publication, transmission, storage, updating, or sharing of any information that pertains to online games not verified as permissible, or the advertisement, surrogate advertisement, or promotion of online games deemed impermissible.
In conclusion, the government advisory serves as a stern reminder to media entities and online platforms to prioritize ethical considerations over potential financial gains by refraining from broadcasting or promoting betting and gambling-related content. With the stakes high and concerns over the involvement of black money, the Government of India appears resolute in curbing the influence of such advertisements on the country’s media landscape.
