Offshore betting advertisements have continued to rise in India despite the country’s ban on online real-money games and their promotion, according to data from the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).
ASCI’s latest annual report showed that offshore betting advertisements accounted for 72.14 percent of all advertising violations flagged during FY26, making it the largest category of concern for the watchdog. The increase came after the implementation of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA), which prohibits online real-money games and related promotions.
In the 8 months before PROGA was passed in August 2025, ASCI recorded an average of 594 offshore betting advertisements per month. In the 4 months after the law took effect, the monthly average increased to 795 advertisements.
Overall, ASCI identified and escalated 7,927 offshore betting advertisements during 2025, including 6,933 advertisements monitored between April and December. The figures highlight the continued presence of offshore betting promotions despite the new regulatory framework.
Digital platforms were the main source of violations. ASCI said 97.3 percent of all advertising violations scrutinized during FY26 originated online. According to a local media outlet, sponsored advertisements on social media platforms accounted for a large share of digital violations.
Influencer marketing was also identified as a key area of concern. ASCI reviewed 1,609 influencer advertisements during the year and found that almost 97 percent required modification for violating advertising guidelines. More than half of those violations were linked to restricted categories, including illegal betting promotions.
ASCI chairman Sudhanshu Vats said the digital advertising ecosystem is becoming more complex, with misleading claims, manufactured credibility and influencer-led amplification creating new risks for consumers.
ASCI reviewed 11,581 cases during FY26, up 21 percent from the previous year, while the number of advertisements scrutinized rose 37 percent to 9,841. Violations were also found in sectors including real estate, personal care, food and beverages, healthcare and consumer electronics, but betting remained the largest category.
