Abbie Chadwick
India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has written a letter to the chief secretaries of all states and union territories, advising them to ban betting and gambling advertising on outdoor media. In this letter, MIB Secretary Apurva Chandra explained that after online betting and gambling commercials were curbed in mainstream print, electronics, and digital media, advertising platforms have started using outdoor media to promote gambling and sports betting platforms.
India May Introduce a Ban on Outdoor Gambling and Sports Betting Commercials
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has written a letter to the chief secretaries dated May 2, urging them to ban outdoor commercials promoting sports betting and gambling apps and websites. According to MIB Secretary Apurva Chandra, such a move would prevent gambling problems and protect vulnerable people and minors.
Mr. Chandra explained that many advertisers have started using outdoor media, such as hoardings, posters, banners, and auto rickshaw branding, to advertise gambling and sports betting companies after the government prohibited gambling and sports betting companies from advertising their services on mainstream print, electronic, and digital media.
On April 2023, the Ministry issued an advisory, stating that online platforms should not show direct or surrogate advertisements for betting and gambling sites. The advisory even provided evidence of offshore betting platforms that have been using TV, print, digital, and outdoor media to advertise their services through surrogate news websites. It was also revealed that many of them also sponsor on-ground properties to circumvent the advertising ban.
Indian Government Had Issued Several Advisories against Gambling Ads in the Past
In June last year, the Ministry issued an advisory, recommending media agencies refrain from displaying surrogate ads of overseas betting companies. The Ministry reminded that gambling is prohibited in most parts of the country, and promoting illegal activities violates the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, Press Council Act 1978, Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, and other laws.
In 2020, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) issued guidelines on online gaming, under which gambling commercials should not include individuals below the legal gambling age of 18. In other words, gambling adverts should not suggest that minors can play games for real money. Besides, all gambling commercials must carry warning messages about the risks associated with gambling, and the disclaimers should occupy 20% of the ad space. The guidelines came into effect on December 15.
Last December, India sent a letter to Alphabet Inc’s Google India, asking the tech giant to stop displaying direct or surrogate advertising from offshore sports betting and gambling platforms like Fairplay and PariMatch. The company responded that it abides by Indian law and does not display such adverts.