Offshore betting platforms pay Instagram pages Rs 2-3k for tags and tickers

New Delhi: Offshore betting platforms shell out Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 to Instagram fan and community pages for featuring their tags and tickers, reveals ASCI’s Half-Yearly Complaints Report 2024-25.

Illegal betting and gambling ads have proliferated digital media in new formats. ASCI referred 890 such ads to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for further action. Among these, 831 Instagram posts displayed betting tickers, which directed viewers to offshore betting platforms.

ASCI wrote in the report, “These tags and tickers appear on fan and community pages on Instagram, with some page owners reportedly earning daily amounts between Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 by featuring these logos."

Between April and September 2024, ASCI reviewed 4016 complaints and investigated 3031 ads; 98% of these ads reviewed needed some modification. ASCI’s continued vigil on digital platforms saw a total of 2830 ads being processed, representing 93% of the total ads taken up. 

The second most violative category in the ASCI’s Half-Yearly Complaints Report 2024-25 is illegal betting ads, constituting a (29%) code violation. 

Mostbet7, Winmatch, and 4rabet topped the list of offenders with 347, 254, and 113 ads, respectively, found in direct violation of the law.

The report further stated that 50 websites and social media pages were identified as promoting illegal betting apps and platforms, and nine influencer posts were found endorsing illegal betting services. 

“This surge highlights the need for continued vigilance and regulatory action to curb illegal gambling promotions on digital platforms. ASCI will work closely with MIB to surface such violations. Through MIB efforts, many of these pages have been taken down,” wrote ASCI.