Ministry of I&B cautions social media influencers to stop promoting online betting platforms

Online betting endorsement: Amid the Centre’s efforts of encouraging content creators to ‘Create on India’, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Thursday asked social media influencers to desist from promoting or advertising offshore online betting and gambling platforms.

In an advisory, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting highlighted the financial and socio-economic implications of online betting and gambling on consumers, especially the youth. The Ministry has also advised online advertisement intermediaries not to carry out promotional content that promotes online betting and caters the audiences in India, as per an official statement.

“The social media intermediaries have also been advised to conduct sensitisation efforts among their users to refrain from publishing such content,” said the official statement. The advisory has stated that influencers found violating endorsement norms for endorsing offshore online betting, and gambling platforms to be blocked on social media.  

“The failure to comply with it may lead to proceedings under the provisions of Consumer Protection Act, 2019 including removal or disabling of social media posts or accounts and penal action under the applicable statutes,” the official statement further added. 

(With PTI inputs)