- By Aashish Vashistha
- Fri, 25 Aug 2023 05:37 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) on Friday issued advisories for television, print, and digital media to not broadcast, or publish advertisements, surrogate advertisements, and any form of promotional content related to online betting.
It also mentioned that strict action will be taken against those who fail to comply. The ministry has advised the intermediaries not to target such advertisements towards the Indian audience.
The Centre witnessed the promotion of betting and gambling platforms during cricket matches and other major sports events peaked and warned media organisations, and social media platforms to refrain from showing such advertisements.
“It is also observed that there is a tendency to spike promotion of such betting and gambling platforms during a major sporting event, especially cricket, and one such important international event is beginning in a few days from now,” the advisory said.
Earlier in June last year, the government issued warnings to private TV channels, newspapers, and news publishers not to publish or broadcast advertisements related to online betting.
Notably, betting and gambling activities are illegal in most parts of the country due to which advertisements related to these activities are also illegal.
The Centre’s advisory comes ahead of the Asia Cup cricket league which is scheduled for the end of this month and the ICC World Cup 2023 which will be held in the country. It also said that there are high chance that black money is used to pay for such advertisements.
“It has further added that this mechanism has linkages to money laundering networks, thereby threatening the financial security of the country…… Along with these illegalities, it is also highly likely that black money is used to pay for such advertisements,” the advisory read.
In October 2022, the government issued comprehensive guidelines for private television channels, digital news publishers, and over-the-top (OTT) platforms, advising against airing commercials linked to online betting companies and their surrogate counterparts.
