Online betting ads: Google says it doesn’t promote e-gambling platforms – Times of India

Last week, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) sent a letter to Google that asked the company to comply with its advisory against online betting ads. According to a report by ET, the tech giant has now issued a statement claiming that Google adheres to local Indian laws and does not allow any online gambling ads on its services. A Google spokesperson has reportedly confirmed that the company doesn’t allow any advertisements that promote online gambling. Google’s ad policies and the applicable local laws and regulations prevent the company from promoting online gambling through its services. The spokesperson noted that Google upholds strict policies to stop violations across its ads systems, the report adds. He also said that the company takes “quick action” whenever it gets information about violating ads.
Why did the MIB send letter to Google
As per the report, a ministry official has claimed that the letter was issued to Google after MIB was informed that the company is displaying online betting ads. The official mentioned that the letter was issued to stop Google from displaying betting ads to Indian users. MIB usually sends such letters to companies when a violation is brought to the ministry’s attention.

How online betting platforms promote themselves
Apart from the domestic betting services, some offshore platforms like PariMatch, Fairplay, Betway, 1xBet and Wolf 777 use other channels to promote themselves. These platforms mostly use surrogate news websites to advertise on TV and digital platforms.

In October, the MIB issued a detailed advisory asking OTT platforms, digital news publishers, TV channels and other social media intermediaries to prevent airing/displaying online betting ads and surrogate ads of such platforms.

Moreover, the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) has also welcomed the MIB’s advisory and the letter sent to Google to curb online betting ads.