The latest report from the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) indicates that complaints about advertisements related to offshore betting have significantly increased during 2024-25, becoming the most violated area.
According to The Hindu, ASCI reviewed 7,078 advertisements, of which a staggering 43.52% were related to offshore betting platforms or gambling content. The number of such advertisements jumped from 1,311 in the previous year to 3,081, nearly doubling.
Most of these advertisements promoted platforms that have been blacklisted by the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, yet they continue to be broadcast on digital media. ASCI has submitted the relevant cases to the enforcement agencies, recommending legal action.
Besides gambling advertisements, there were also 233 complaints about advertisements violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act of 1954, involving unverified health benefits or false treatments. Additionally, 21 advertisements for alcoholic beverages on social media platforms were reported and handed over to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
It is noteworthy that a special regulatory panel established by the real-money gaming industry in January 2025 played a key role in identifying non-compliant gambling advertisements.
Influencer advertising remains a major area of non-compliance. ASCI reviewed 1,015 pieces of influencer promotional content, with as many as 69% failing to meet transparency disclosure standards. Many advertisements did not clearly indicate "promotion" or "sponsorship," or the labels were hidden.
Only 29% of influencer activities complied with the standards, with five influencers making corrections only after jury recommendations, and another five were handed over to the Ministry of Health for repeated violations. The most common violations occurred in fashion and lifestyle (27.5%), telecommunications products (21.7%), and personal care (13%).
ASCI emphasized that it will continue to collaborate with regulatory authorities to strengthen compliance reviews of the digital advertising ecosystem, especially against illegal promotions of cross-border gambling platforms.
