India to take action against gambling apps and illegal betting that violate the CCPA guidelines

The Indian consumer affairs ministry has urged for measures to be taken against covert and substitute ads promoting unlawful betting and gambling, especially during cricket matches and election campaigns, as reported by Mint.

The ministry considers these advertisements to be in breach of the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) guidelines and the Public Gambling Act of 1867.

The ministry has contacted the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in regards to pinpointing offenders and enforcing legal measures, such as applying penalties and prohibiting the functioning of betting and gambling applications.

The Public Gambling Act of 1867 makes betting and gambling illegal in most regions of India. Online gambling websites persist in promoting their offerings, sparking worries about financial and socio-economic consequences, particularly within the younger population.

It is projected that India's gaming industry will grow to $3.1 billion in FY23 and $7.5 billion in FY28. After evaluating adherence to compliance, a stakeholder consultation will be conducted to gather feedback from online gaming platforms in order to enhance regulations.

Playing games online comes with dangers like getting addicted, facing health issues, feeling isolated from society, losing money through buying in-game items, worrying about privacy and security, dealing with cyberbullying, and being influenced by violent or aggressive content.

The Consumer Affairs Ministry needs to adopt a firm position on online gaming app betting and enforce more rigorous regulations to safeguard consumers and resolve their issues.