The Centre warns digital publishers and private channels about online betting advertisements.

• Image Credit: Internet

• Oct 3, 2022 | Sourav Boruah

Digital
Desk: The government issued advisories to digital publishers,
OTT platforms, and private satellite television channels on Monday, requesting
that they refrain from publishing advertisements for online betting platforms.

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> 

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">According
to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's advisory, promotional content
and advertisements for betting platforms are still visible on specific digital
news platforms and OTT platforms. According to the government, some offshore betting platforms have begun using news websites as surrogate
products to advertise betting platforms on digital media.

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"> 

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The ministry reiterated that betting
and gambling are illegal in most parts of India and that advertisements for
online offshore betting and gambling platforms are prohibited.

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> 

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The ministry stated that the logos
of the surrogate news websites run by online betting platforms are similar
to those betting platforms that are not registered with any legal authorities.

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> 

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"">"Accordingly, online offshore
betting platforms appear to be promoting betting and gambling as surrogate
advertising under the guise of news." 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, et
cetera," the government added.

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> 

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The ministry has explicitly
requested that news websites and OTT platforms refrain from airing advertisements
for online betting platforms or their surrogate news websites.

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> 

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Furthermore, the I&B ministry
claimed in its advisories to private channels that some online offshore betting
platforms have begun using news websites as a surrogate product to advertise
their betting platforms on TV channels.

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> 

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The Centre reminded us that betting and
gambling are illegal in most parts of India and that advertisements for
surrogate websites run by these betting platforms with identical logos as their
parent company was broadcast on TV channels despite the fact that they are not
registered with any legal authority under Indian law.

mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> 

"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, and so on," the
government stated.

"Contravention/violation of the preceding may result in
criminal prosecution under applicable laws," the ministry warned.