Govt Pins Down Disguised Betting Ads Around Cricket & Elections

With elections and the IPL fever in full swing, the government is seen taking strong action against covert ads that are encouraging unlawful betting and gambling. These advertisements violate the guidelines set by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA).

The CCPA is collaborating with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to identify offenders for legal action in response to an increase in the use of betting apps during the Lok Sabha and IPL elections.

A CCPA guideline dated 6 March cautioned against encouraging or promoting illicit activities like as gambling and betting in any way. gambling emphasised that betting is prohibited by the Public Gambling Act of 1867 and that gambling can have negative social and financial effects, particularly on children.

MIB's initiatives to warn media outlets and online ad intermediaries against endorsing betting and gaming sites in India are also mentioned in the warning.

“The Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, 2022, categorically prohibit advertisements of products or services prohibited under any prevailing law,” the advisory said.

It reiterated that the guidelines apply to all advertisements, irrespective of the medium used and warns celebrities and influencers that any engagement in the promotion or advertisement of online gambling and betting, given its unlawful status, renders one equally liable for participating in an illegal activity.

“Through this advisory, CCPA cautions that any advertisement or endorsement of activities which are otherwise prohibited by law, including but not limited to betting or gambling, shall be subject to rigorous scrutiny. If any violation of the guidelines is found, stringent measures, as per the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, will be initiated against those involved, including manufacturers, advertisers, publishers, intermediaries, social media platforms, endorsers, and any other relevant stakeholders,” the advisory added.