Centre warns news publishers, TV channels, OTTs against advertising online betting platforms

In a document, the ministry also attached a series of screengrabs showing advertisements promoting online betting platforms such as Fairplay, PariMatch, Betway, Wolf 777, and 1xBet during cricket matches.

TN National Desk

Updated Oct 3, 2022, 20:24 IST

Pictorial Representation

New Delhi: The Central government on Monday warned news publishers, TV channels and digital platforms like OTTs against advertising online betting platforms. Violation of the advisory will invite penal action, it added.

In an official notification, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting said attention is invited to the advisory issued to private satellite TV channels advising them to refrain from publishing advertisements of online betting platforms.

"The advisory had been issued for the reason that betting and gambling is prohibited in most parts of the country, and pose significant financial and socio-economic risk for the consumers, especially youth and children. Accordingly, the promotion of offline or online betting/gambling through advertisements is not advised in larger public interest," it read.

The ministry worked in close coordination with the Department of Consumer Affairs which provided an indicative list of online betting platforms which were using news for surrogate advertising and informed that online betting platforms have been advertising themselves in a surrogate manner as professional sports blogs, sports news websites, etc.

Read Full Statement here

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in its advisory observed that promotional content and advertisements of betting platforms are still visible on certain digital news platforms and OTT platforms.

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