ICC Cricket World Cup is all set to begin starting from September 29. MIB has issued an advisory to prevent any sort of betting related advertising during the cricketing season.
In an advisory issued on Friday, the ministry mentioned that the Central Government has action against a network of agents who took money from the users of gambling apps. This was also followed by funneling the funds out of India. The advisory read, “It may be noted that advertisements of gambling/betting platforms not only pose significant financial and socio-economic risk for the consumers, especially the youth and children, but have linkages to money laundering networks, thereby threatening the financial security of the country.”
The advisory brought to light that certain media entities which include advertisement intermediaries and social media platforms allowed direct and indirect advertisements of betting and gambling platforms. Thai was majorly during sporting events which include cricket.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting advised all stakeholders including the media entities, online advertisement intermediaries and social media platforms to step back from highlighting such promotional content, failing which strict actions would be initiated.
This is not the first time advisories or rules have been issued against advertising on online betting platforms. In June 2022, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had issued advisories that every form of media including print, television and digital had to refrain from advertising on online betting platforms.