In an advisory issued on Thursday, the ministry advised online ad intermediaries not to publish such content targeting an Indian audience and social media intermediaries to educate their users against publishing such content.
The advisory has been issued before the commencement of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 on March 22.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) issued an advisory on March 6, raising concerns about celebrity endorsements of offshore online betting and gambling platforms, citing the widespread illegality of such activities and the guidelines for preventing misleading advertisements and endorsements in 2022.
Section 79 of the IT Act, 2000, allows intermediaries to be exempt from liability for third-party information, data, or communication links. However, this exemption does not apply if the intermediary fails to remove or disable access to the material without vitiating evidence.
The MIB, which has the authority to clamp down on betting ads, has also warned that failure to comply with the above may lead to proceedings under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.All India Gaming Federation CEO Roland Landers lauded the ministry for issuing the advisory. “We hope that the latest advisory will deter the celebrities from engaging with these anti-national and illegal platforms, which are a danger to India’s economic and social security.”He added that the advisory will help distinguish legitimate Indian online gaming operators offering player protection from illegal sites, reducing consumer harm and problems.
