The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), in an advisory issued here on Wednesday, has warned manufacturers, advertisers, publishers, intermediaries, social media platforms, endorsers, and broadcasters against advertisements promoting illegal activities such as betting and gambling.
CCPA Chairman and Union Secretary of Consumer Affairs Rohit Kumar Singh said in the advisory that the Centre had noticed that betting platforms were employing celebrities and influencers to endorse and promote their betting activities. “Consequently, endorsement by celebrities gives an impression that indulging in such activity is acceptable,” Mr. Singh said in the advisory sent to self-regulatory bodies under the Cable Television Network (Amendment) Rules and the Information Technology Guidelines and Digital Media (Intermediary Ethics Code) Rules, online advertisement intermediaries, the Advertising Standards Council of India and various associations of print and electronic media.
