The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has signed an MoU with online gaming industry bodies to address the growing concern over illegal betting and gambling advertisements by offshore entities. The MoU was inked with the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS), the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) and the E-Gaming Federation (EGF) on Tuesday.
Under the MoU, a special monitoring cell will focus on screening and reporting offshore betting and gambling advertisements to the concerned ministries. “The cell will also screen and process real-money gaming advertisements that are found to be in potential violation of the ASCI Code. The partnership aims to identify illegal ads and strengthen compliance of the Real Money Gaming (RMG) industry,” a statement noted.
Manisha Kapoor, CEO and ASCI Secretary-General, said, “Indian consumers are exposed to numerous ads of offshore betting and gambling companies that have no accountability in India. Several Indian celebrities, too, have been a part of such advertisements. Since gambling ads are prohibited in most parts of the country, their large-scale presence is a breach of the law. ASCI would like to flag such ads to the regulators for necessary action. It is also key that the gaming industry, whose advertising is permissible in India, remains compliant with the ASCI Code.”
Neil Castelino, CEO of the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports, said, “We hope this collaboration will ensure that Indian consumers are not exposed to illegal platforms in the guise of online gaming, while promoting responsible advertising practices in the Indian RMG industry.”
Ad Reporting
Since January, ASCI has flagged 413 offshore betting ads to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and processed 12 advertisements for potential violation of ASCI’s Real Money Gaming guidelines.
Anuraag Saxena, CEO, E-Gaming Federation, said: “Indian citizens have been duped and scammed by unscrupulous operators for years. The nation suffers, so do consumers, and so does the domestic industry. The monitoring cell of ASCI will only turbo-boost our efforts. Together, we will uphold high ethical standards and create a safer, more trusted gaming landscape for all.”
Roland Landers, CEO, All India Gaming Federation, said, “By collaborating with ASCI and fellow industry federations, we aim to tackle the growing challenge of offshore gambling ads and non-compliant advertising practices.”
