Betting and Gambling Endorsement: On Thursday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued a warning to social media influencers about the dangers of endorsing or endorsing offshore online betting and gaming companies through surrogate marketing. Social media posts and accounts may be deleted if guidelines are broken.
Warning to Ad Intermediaries
The Ministry has stated that these commercials have a major financial and socioeconomic impact on consumers, especially the younger generation, of online betting and gambling, according to the PIB report.
The Ministry has additionally cautioned internet ad intermediaries from directing such promotional content towards Indian viewers. According to the report, social media intermediaries have also been encouraged to work to sensitise their users to the dangers of sharing such content.
CCPA’s Previous Warning
The advise warns that noncompliance could result in proceedings under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019’s provisions, which could include the removal or disablement of social media posts or accounts and legal action under the relevant statutes.
Prior to this, on March 6, 2024, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) released an advise. The CCPA had voiced concerns about celebrities and influencers endorsing and promoting betting activities on betting/gambling platforms, and had issued a warning that any such direct or indirect advertisement or endorsement would be closely examined.