Indian government addresses Parliament on online gambling ads
The Indian government has taken steps to curb the increasing presence of online gambling advertisements on streaming and social media platforms. It is actively monitoring the digital space and has issued instructions to intermediaries to take down content that violates advertising guidelines. In response to questions raised in the Lok Sabha under Unstarred Question No. 5157, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, L Murugan, provided details on the actions taken to regulate such content.
Questions raised in Lok Sabha
Member of Parliament Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy and Putta Mahesh Kumar raised concerns about the increasing presence of online gambling platforms. They asked whether the government had conducted any survey or study on the issue, what actions had been taken over the past five years, the number of social media accounts or websites taken down for online gambling advertisements, and whether the government had considered implementing a mechanism to track and remove such ads.
Steps taken against online gambling ads
During the past five years, the government has issued multiple advisories to print, electronic, and digital media, as well as influencers and online advertising intermediaries. These advisories direct stakeholders to refrain from publishing advertisements promoting online betting platforms and their surrogate products or services.
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) has also used its authority under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000. This provision enables the government to notify intermediaries about unlawful content and instruct them to remove or disable access to it. The ministry has issued notifications to social media platforms to take down posts, links, and advertisements linked to offshore online betting and gambling platforms.
State vs Union government jurisdiction
Murugan clarified that betting and gambling fall under the jurisdiction of individual states as per Entry 34 and 62 of List-II (State List) of the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution. However, the union government continues to take action to mitigate the risks associated with online gambling advertisements.
Future monitoring mechanisms
When asked about plans to track and remove online gambling advertisements, the minister stated that the government is actively monitoring the digital space. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting regularly instructs intermediaries to take down content that violates advertising guidelines.
