India plans crackdown on illegal betting and gambling apps

[The Buzz]

India's Consumer Affairs Ministry is cracking down on indirect and surrogate advertisements promoting illegal betting and gambling, which have surged during the cricket and election season.

The government aims to enforce the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) guidelines, which strictly prohibit such promotions. This action comes as betting apps have seen widespread use, especially during major events like the Indian Premier League (IPL) and general elections.

From LiveMint.com:

The consumer affairs ministry has written to the ministry of electronics and information technology (Meity) to identify all violators and take appropriate legal action, including imposing penalties and banning the operations of betting and gambling apps.

Betting and gambling are prohibited under the Public Gambling Act of 1867 and are illegal in most parts of India. Despite regulations, online betting platforms continue to advertise their services, leading to concerns about the financial and socio-economic implications, especially among the youth.

According to estimates, India's gaming market is expected to reach $3.1 billion in FY23 and is projected to grow to $7.5 billion by FY28. India is the second-largest gaming market, with 15.4 billion game downloads in FY23. The largest is China.

“Betting through online gaming apps is a serious issue, and the Consumer Affairs Ministry should take a strong stance on it. Betting apps are preying on vulnerable individuals, and the CCPA should implement stricter regulations to protect consumers and address their concerns. The surrogate advertising to catch unaware consumers as detected by ASCI every month needs to be tackled with a firm stand, specially the overseas operators " said Ashim Sanyal, CEO and secretary, Consumer Voice.

Read more here: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/...508371580.html