Centre cautions social media influencers against promoting offshore betting platforms

Social media intermediaries have also been advised to conduct sensitisation efforts among their users to refrain from publishing such content, it said.

Social media influencers and other endorsers should refrain from promoting or advertising, including surrogate advertisements, of offshore online betting and gambling platforms, the Central government cautioned on Thursday.

The ministry of information and broadcasting, in an advisory, said that these advertisements have significant financial and socio-economic implications of online betting and gambling on consumers, particularly the youth.

It has further advised the online advertisement intermediaries to avoid directing such content towards users in India. "Social media intermediaries have also been advised to conduct sensitisation efforts among their users to refrain from publishing such content," it said.

Failing to comply with advisory 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 statement said.