AIGF Discusses CCPA Order on Genuine vs Illegal Gambling Sites

The All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), a not-for-profit apex body for the online skill gaming industry in India, has welcomed the recent advisory issued by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to celebrities and influencers to refrain from promoting betting and gambling firms. The advisory, which was issued on March 6, 2024, in accordance with the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, aims to distinguish genuine online skill gaming platforms from illegal offshore gambling sites that pose significant financial and socio-economic risks for consumers, especially youth and children.

According to AIGF CEO Roland Landers, the CCPA order is a decisive step against anti-national illegal offshore gambling websites, which have been advertising in India in the garb of surrogate news and sports websites. He said that these websites are not only evading taxes but also indulging in fraud and manipulation of their games. He added that AIGF has been highlighting this menace since 2018 and has been constantly taking up these issues with various Central Ministries and providing evidence of uninterrupted advertising on major Indian OTT, satellite channels, newspapers and as sponsors in multiple Indian sports leagues.

Landers also said that the CCPA order will help distinguish legitimate Indian online skill gaming operators, which provide the highest player protection measures and are a form of entertainment against these illegal gambling sites which are the main reason for widespread consumer harm and problems. He urged the Indian media platforms to adopt a robust mechanism and apply a stricter evaluation process when onboarding advertisements from such offshore gambling platforms.

He further explained that online skill gaming is different from online gambling as it involves a substantial degree of skill, intelligence, knowledge, training and practice. He said that online skill gaming is legal in most states of India and is regulated by various authorities such as the Nagaland Prohibition of Gambling and Promotion and Regulation of Online Games of Skill Act, 2016 and the Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulation) Act, 2008. He also said that AIGF has developed a self-regulatory charter for its members to ensure responsible gaming practices and adherence to ethical standards.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has previously issued multiple advisories asking television channels, digital news publishers and OTT platforms to refrain from showing advertisements for online gambling sites and surrogate advertisements. Landers said that he hopes that unlike earlier, the TV networks, OTTs and news publishers will take this advisory seriously and not support these anti-national websites and give them prime-time airspace.

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