Section 6: Prohibition on Advertising and Promotion

Overview

Section 6 of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, aims to stop the promotion of online games where money is at stake. It broadly prohibits all forms of advertising – not just traditional ads, but also influencer promotions, app store descriptions, and even sponsorships – that encourage people to gamble online. Essentially, it tries to reduce the visibility and appeal of these games.

Key Provisions

• Broad Prohibition: Any advertisement, directly or indirectly, promoting online money games is illegal. This includes paid advertising, promotions by influencers, affiliate marketing, and even in-app notifications.
• Wide Definition of 'Advertisement': The law defines 'advertisement' very broadly, covering almost any form of communication used to promote these games across all media (print, TV, internet, social media).
• No Cure with Disclaimers: Simply adding warnings like “18+ only” or “play responsibly” won’t make an illegal advertisement legal.
• Penalties: Violating Section 6 can lead to penalties as outlined in Section 9 of the Bill, with higher penalties for repeat offenders.

Practical Impact

This section significantly impacts several stakeholders:

• Online Gaming Companies: They cannot advertise or promote games involving money.
• Advertisers & Ad Networks: They must ensure their platforms don’t carry ads for prohibited games.
• Influencers & Content Creators: They cannot promote or endorse online money games.
• App Stores: They need to review app descriptions and creatives to ensure compliance.
• Citizens: The aim is to reduce exposure to potentially harmful gambling advertisements.

Examples

• Example 1: A celebrity endorsing a fantasy sports app that prominently features cash prizes is a violation of Section 6.
• Example 2: A gaming website that offers a bonus for signing up to a stake-based online poker app through an affiliate link is also a violation, even if the website itself doesn’t host the poker game. Similarly, an e-sports tournament livestream with a betting platform’s logo displayed would be prohibited.

Operational Guidance: Companies should audit all marketing channels, update contracts with influencers and affiliates, and configure ad servers to block related keywords. Maintaining records of ad creatives and targeting is crucial for demonstrating compliance.