Govt asks all states, UTs to crack down on outdoor ads of betting, gambling platforms
New Delhi: In a latest important move, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry of the Government of India on Tuesday extended another stringent step towards eliminating outdoor media displays of illegal betting advertisements- such as hoardings, posters, banners, and auto rickshaw branding etc. A recent advisory from I&B secretary Apurva Chandra to all respective chief secretaries of states and UTs underlined the need for action against outdoor advertisements for these banned platforms.
Chandra emphasised, "It has now come to the notice that some betting and gambling platforms have started using outdoor media such as hoardings, posters, banners, auto rickshaw branding, etc. to promote their websites/apps in India... Online betting promotes an activity which is otherwise largely prohibited and poses a significant financial and socio-economic risk for consumers, especially youth and children. Further, advertisements of online betting are misleading."
Last year, the ministry issued an advisory to the media- print, electronic and digital- to refrain from publishing such advertisements. Further, to curb the practice of surrogate advertisement of online betting and gambling, the ministry also issued two separate advisories in October last year advising private satellite TV channels, digital news publishers and OTT platforms to refrain from broadcasting or publishing advertisements of such platforms and any of their surrogate products, the I&B secretary mentioned in the latest two-page advisory.
He also mentioned that stringent actions will be taken by the government at the centre under appropriate laws. "Advertisements of online betting are misleading, and 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," Chandra underlined.
However, many macro and mid-tier influencers, top actors, cricketers and celebrities are continuing to endorse such online gambling platforms' advertisements on websites and apps.
