The government, through the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) operating under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, has taken a decisive stance against the surge in advertisements promoting betting and gambling activities. The CCPA has issued a comprehensive advisory, strictly prohibiting the advertising, promotion, and endorsement of such illegal activities, which often disguise themselves as harmless gaming ventures.
This move aligns with the provisions outlined in the Consumer Protection Act of 2019, which expressly prohibits the endorsement of unlawful activities like betting and gambling. The decision to issue this advisory stems from the concerning proliferation of advertisements promoting these illicit practices, despite their explicit prohibition under the long-standing Public Gambling Act of 1867.
According to the advisory, there has been a troubling trend of betting platforms leveraging the influence of celebrities and influencers to endorse and market their activities. Consequently, both celebrities and influencers have been cautioned by the CCPA against associating themselves with online gambling and betting promotions, as they will bear equal legal responsibility for their involvement in these unlawful activities.
The advisory emphasizes that celebrity endorsements create a false impression of legitimacy surrounding these activities, potentially leading impressionable individuals, particularly the youth, into financial and socio-economic risks. It also commends the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for its efforts in warning media platforms against disseminating advertisements for betting and gambling platforms.
Moreover, online advertisement intermediaries have been specifically warned against targeting Indian audiences with such advertisements. Additionally, the advisory underscores the applicability of the Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, 2022, which strictly forbid the promotion of products or services prohibited by existing laws across all advertisement platforms.
Any involvement in the promotion or advertisement of online gambling and betting is deemed unlawful under these regulations, subjecting all relevant stakeholders, including manufacturers, advertisers, publishers, social media platforms, and endorsers, to rigorous scrutiny and stringent measures in accordance with the Consumer Protection Act of 2019.
