The new restrictions state that advertisements should not show gambling as an income opportunity while companies are also required to display the message – ‘Please Play Responsibly’

Following EU’s push for more responsible gaming throughout the industry, India has also started to implement a number of guidelines to battle gambling addiction. This also comes after Tamil Nadu imposed a statewide ban on online gaming due to the rise in number of suicides.

The advertising regulator of India, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), issued a number of measures regarding responsible advertising, specifically when it comes to the promotion of real-money gaming.

Gaming advertisements are seen as high-risk in India. The number of adverts seen on the publics TV screens increased considerably during the COVID-19 outbreak and since many people were home due to lockdowns and several restrictions, the gambling advertisements were targeting a large number of families and even possibly underage people.

The new guidelines say that gaming adverts should not show gambling as an income opportunity to encourage people to start playing while anyone under 18 should not be represented in any advertisements. Moreover, any advertisements should display the message ‘Please Play Responsibly’ to make existing and potential customers aware about the potential dangers of gambling and its financial risks.

ASCI’s main plan is to address the manner in which advertisements are shown with emphasis shown on respecting the new guidelines enforced by the advertising regulator for responsible gaming standards.

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