I&B Ministry tells Google to stop showing ads to gambling enterprises.

    Photo: Reuters

Since gambling of any kind, whether it be online or off, is prohibited in India, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has ordered Google to stop running surrogate adverts for bookmakers like Betway, Fairplay, PariMatch, and 1xBet on its platforms, including YouTube and the search engine.

"We have written to Google to immediately stop such adverts — direct or surrogate — as it is in breach of norms," a senior ministry executive said to India Today. The officer added that the ministry wrote to the dominant search engine last week after becoming aware of the adverts.

The ministry issued a directive on October 3 ordering all TV networks and OTT players to stop airing substitute advertisements for online betting companies.

Private satellite TV networks were advised not to air commercials for online betting sites by the ministry. The warning was given since betting and gambling are illegal in most of the nation and present serious financial and socioeconomic hazards to those who partake, particularly young people and children.

As a result, the ministry cautioned against promoting betting or gambling through commercials for the benefit of the general population.

“Betting and gambling is an illegal activity in most parts of India. In accordance with the Paragraph 9 of the Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements 2022 under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, it has been observed that since betting and gambling are illegal, advertisements of online offshore betting and gambling platforms are also illegal. In this regard, it may be noted that in accordance with the Advertising Code under Cable TV Network Regulation Act 1995, advertisements of betting platforms, being an illegal activity, cannot be shown on TV channels.”

The Department of Consumer Affairs previously alerted the public to the fact that online betting platforms have been misrepresenting themselves as professional sports blogs, sports news websites, etc. and provided a sample list of those sites.

According to the ministry, breaking the regulations "may invite legal action under the applicable legislation."