Lok Sabha Question No. 240 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-19
Subject: Illegal Betting and Gambling Through Media
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Venkatesh Netha Borlakunta, Prataprao  Jadhav, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Shrirang Appa Barne, Sambhajirao Mane Dhairyasheel, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Gaddam Ranjith Reddy, Kavitha Malothu, Subrata Pathak, Sudheer Gupta, Ravi Kishan Shukla, Sarmistha Sethi, Ravindra Kushawaha

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 240

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2022

## ILLEGAL BETTING AND GAMBLING THROUGH MEDIA

240.  SHRI VENKATESH NETHA BORLAKUNTA:

SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

DR. G. RANJITH REDDY:

SHRIMATI KAVITHA MALOTHU:

SHRI SUBRAT PATHAK:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI RAVI KISHAN:

SHRIMATI SARMISTHA SETHI:

SHRI RAVINDRA KUSHWAHA:

## Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state;

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  illegal  betting  and gambling  through  media  and  online  advertisement  intermediaries  is posing serious financial and socio-economic risk for the consumers in the  country  particularly  youth  and  children  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government is aware of proliferation of betting  in various sports (both online and offline) in the country, if so, the details thereof and the steps taken to curb such cases in future;
- (c) whether it is true that there are surrogate advertisements in all kinds of media and if so, the steps taken by the Government to stop such advertisements in future;

(d) whether  the  Government  has  issued  any  advisory  to  print, electronic  and  digital  media  asking  them  to  refrain  from  advertising online betting platforms and if so, the details thereof; (e) whether the Government proposes to bring any strict legislation to prevent such illegal betting and gambling through media and online advertisement; and if so, the details thereof and the time by which such a legislation

(f) is likely to come into force and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS

## (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR):

(a) to (b): 'Betting and Gambling' come under Entry 34 and 62 of List II of the 7 th  Schedule of the Indian Constitution which provides for their regulation  by  States.  Based  on  the  erstwhile  Public  Gambling  Act, 1867, most State Governments have enacted their own laws to deal with betting and gambling within their jurisdictions.

(c): The Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 inter-alia provides that advertisements of products which are brand extension of cigarettes, tobacco products, wine, alcohol etc.  can be telecast on TV only under certain specified conditions and pre-certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) under Department of Consumer Affairs has notified Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements,  2022  on  09 th   June,  2022  which  prohibit  surrogate advertisements and have, inter-alia, several preemptive provisions on advertisements targeting children.

(d)  to  (f):  This  Ministry  issued  an  advisory  dated  13.06.2022  to  print, electronic and digital media to refrain from publishing advertisements of online betting platforms which are misleading, and do not appear to be in conformity with the Consumer Protection Act 2019, Advertisement Code under the Cable Television Networks Regulation Act, 1995, and advertisement norms under the Norms of Journalistic Conduct laid down by the Press Council of India.

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