Centre cautions OTT platforms, private channels against online wagering ads
The Ministry of Data and Broadcasting in its advisory said it was observed that special content and promotions of wagering stages are still unmistakable on certain advanced news stages and OTT stages.
The Narendra Modi government on Monday issued advisories to advanced distributors, OTT stages and private satellite TV channels, inquiring them to abstain from distributing promotions of online wagering platforms.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in its counselling said it was observed that special content and promotions of wagering platforms are still obvious on certain advanced news platforms and OTT stages. The government too said that a few online offshore wagering platforms have begun utilising news websites as a surrogate item to publicise wagering stages on advanced media.
Emphasising that wagering and betting is an illicit movement in most parts of India, the ministry said that promotions of online offshore wagering and betting stages are prohibited.
The ministry pointed out that with regard to the promotions of the surrogate news websites run by the online wagering platforms, the logos of the concerned news websites are comparative to those wagering platforms, which are not enlisted with any lawful authorities.
"Accordingly the online offshore betting platforms appear to be promoting betting and gambling under the garb of news as surrogate advertising. In this regard, the Department of Consumer Affairs has also informed that online betting platforms have been advertising themselves as professional sports blogs, sports news websites, etc. while providing an indicative list of online betting platforms which are using news for surrogate advertising,” the government added as reported by Hindustan Times.
The service has categorically inquired the news websites and OTT stages to abstain from broadcasting advertisements of online wagering platforms or their surrogate news websites.
Later, in its advisories to the private channels, the I&B ministry affirmed a few online offshore wagering platforms have begun utilising news websites as a surrogate item to promote their wagering platforms on TV channels.
The Centre reminded that wagering and betting is unlawful in most parts of India, moreover indicating that advertisements of surrogate websites run by these wagering stages having the indistinguishable logos as their parent company were run on the TV channels as they are not enrolled with any legitimate specialist under the Indian law.
“In this regard, the Department of Consumer Affairs has also informed that online betting platforms have been advertising themselves as professional sports blogs, sports news websites, etc. while providing an indicative list of online betting platforms which are using news for surrogate advertising”, the government said as reported by Hindustan Times.
“Contravention/violation of the above may invite penal action under the applicable laws”, the ministry warned as reported by Hindustan Times.
