The Information & Broadcasting Ministry on August 25, through a fresh advisory, asked all the media entities, online advertisement intermediaries and social media platforms to immediately refrain from showing advertisements or any promotional content of online betting platforms in any form whatsoever, failing which they might attract appropriate legal action by the government.
The advisory has been issued ahead of the Asia Cup cricket league. The Ministry said there was a high chance of black money being used to pay for such advertisements. Besides, despite repeated advisories about the possible illegalities involved, certain media entities, including advertisement intermediaries and social media platforms, had been allowing direct and indirect advertisements of betting and gambling platforms during major sporting events, including cricket tournaments.
“It is also observed that there is a tendency to spike promotion of such betting and gambling platforms during a major sporting event, especially cricket, and one such important international event is beginning in a few days from now,” said the advisory addressed to all the newspapers registered under the Press and Registration of Books Act, private satellite television channels, publishers of news and current affairs content on digital media, online advertisement intermediaries and social media platforms.
