ASCI Escalates 4,578 Illegal Betting Ads Flooding Indian Digital Platforms
The Advertising Standards Council of India flagged 4,578 cases of prohibited betting and gambling promotions between April and September 2025, making them the most violative category in advertising. These ads, mostly from offshore operators, persisted despite the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, which bans such activities. Proactive surveillance detected 99% of violations, revealing a deliberate push to target Indian consumers through paid digital channels.
Scale of Violations Dwarfs Other Categories
Offshore betting promotions led all ad categories with 4,575 cases escalated to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre, and Directorate General of GST Intelligence, plus three surrogates. Stake topped violators at 506 instances, followed by 4rabet with 208 and Riffway International at 107. Reliance Broadcast Network Limited and Ultrawin recorded 68 and 67 violations respectively, all requiring modifications due to legal prohibitions.
A 102% increase in reviewed ads stemmed from enhanced monitoring of this high-risk sector, with 91% as sponsored promotions that purchased visibility. The report describes these as incessant targeting that masks betting platforms as "games of skill" or "fun play," operating beyond Indian jurisdiction and turning online spaces into deceptive environments.
Digital Platforms Enable Widespread Reach
Nearly all violations—97.24%—occurred online, dominated by Meta platforms at 78.96%, websites at 13.75%, and Google at 4.59%. Smaller shares appeared on property portals, OTT services, gaming streamers, and Telegram. Cross-platform placements amplified exposure, exploiting programmatic advertising to evade single-point detection.
Despite the 2025 Act's clear ban on real-money betting, offshore sites remain accessible to Indians via geo-targeted campaigns, foreign servers, and payment gateways. This defiance highlights gaps in platform moderation, where illegal operators blend with legitimate gaming content.
Influencers Amplify Hidden Promotions
Among 1,173 influencer ads reviewed, over 75% involved betting, with 683 linked directly to offshore or illegal platforms. Fully 98% needed changes, and 59% promoted disallowed products; many omitted or hid paid partnership disclosures, mimicking organic content.
ASCI Strengthens Response Amid Enforcement Gaps
ASCI now reports betting violations daily to regulators for takedowns, achieving 17-day average resolution across categories and escalating 4,859 disallowed cases overall. CEO Manisha Kapoor warned that such exposures erode consumer trust and demand stricter regulator action against repeat violators.
While self-regulation flags issues effectively, prosecution requires government coordination. The 70% rise in complaints reflects both improved vigilance and offender adaptability, underscoring the need for legal deterrents to curb this digital persistence.
