Sports Betting Advertising Ban in India: The 2026 Publisher Compliance Audit

Last updated: 2026

Affiliate disclosure: This article contains no betting affiliate links, referral codes, operator registration buttons or paid sportsbook recommendations. It is an independent compliance and consumer-information resource.

Author: EDITORIAL TEAM

18+ responsible gambling notice: This page is intended for adults and discusses gambling only from a legal, editorial and consumer-protection perspective. Online money games and advertisements promoting them are prohibited under India’s current central online gaming framework. Gambling-related activity can cause serious financial, emotional and family harm.

Legal notice: This article provides general information, not legal advice. Publishers, advertising agencies, influencers and platform operators should obtain advice from an Indian media, technology or gaming lawyer before making decisions about specific campaigns or pages.

Quick Answer: What Does the Sports Betting Advertising Ban in India Cover?

India’s position changed materially in 2026.

The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 came into force on 1 May 2026. It establishes a nationwide framework that prohibits online money games and the advertising of those games. An online money game is defined broadly enough to cover games based on skill, chance or both when a person pays money or another stake with the expectation of receiving money or another form of enrichment. The Act applies across India and also reaches online money gaming services operated from outside India but offered within Indian territory.

Section 6 is the provision most relevant to publishers. It says that no person may make, cause, assist, encourage or otherwise become involved in an advertisement in any medium that directly or indirectly promotes an online money game or induces someone to play one.

For a publisher, this means the legal risk is not confined to conventional display advertising. A page can function as an advertisement through its complete design and commercial purpose.

High-risk elements include:

• “Play Now,” “Bet Now,” “Register” and “Claim Bonus” buttons.
• Affiliate links that earn commission from registrations, deposits or player losses.
• Ranked sportsbook tables designed to help readers choose where to wager.
• Operator-specific bonuses, promotional codes and deposit offers.
• Instructions for opening an account, funding it or downloading a betting application.
• Live odds connected to a named operator or wagering link.
• Influencer videos demonstrating how to join or place bets.
• Surrogate promotions using a sports-news, merchandise or lifestyle brand associated with a betting operator.
• Promotional widgets supplied by affiliate networks or betting companies.
• Content that presents betting as a route to income, status or financial success.

A page does not become neutral merely because it is called a “review,” “comparison,” “news article” or “educational guide.” Regulators can look at what the page actually does: where it sends the reader, what action it encourages and whether the publisher receives a commercial benefit.

Genuine reporting on gambling law, enforcement, consumer harm or industry developments may remain possible where the material is structured to inform rather than induce play. However, the Act does not provide publishers with a broad exemption simply because content is labelled editorial. The safer question is not, “Can we call this journalism?” It is, “Does this page directly or indirectly encourage someone to participate in an online money game?”

What Changed in 2026?

Before May 2026, the Indian advertising environment was already highly restrictive. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had repeatedly advised television channels, newspapers, digital news publishers, social-media platforms, OTT services and advertising intermediaries not to publish or target advertisements for online betting platforms.

The Ministry’s 2022 advisory specifically addressed offshore betting sites and surrogate “news” brands. It warned about betting operators using sports-news websites with similar names, logos and visual identities to advertise the underlying wagering service indirectly.

Additional advisories in 2023 called on media companies and online advertising intermediaries to stop direct and indirect betting promotion, particularly around major sporting events such as cricket tournaments.

In March 2024, the Central Consumer Protection Authority cautioned that direct or indirect advertising and endorsement of activities prohibited by law—including betting and gambling—could face rigorous scrutiny under the Consumer Protection Act and the 2022 misleading-advertisement guidelines. The advisory expressly included publishers, intermediaries, platforms, celebrities, influencers and endorsers among the stakeholders exposed to enforcement.

The major 2026 development is that the federal position is no longer based only on advisories, consumer-protection principles and state gambling laws. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act now contains an express statutory prohibition against online money-game advertising.

The accompanying Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026 also came into force on 1 May 2026. They established the operational framework for classifying games and created the Online Gaming Authority of India. The Authority’s functions include determining whether a product is an online money game, maintaining relevant lists, handling complaints, issuing directions and coordinating with law-enforcement and financial authorities.

As a result, a publisher reviewing content in 2026 should not rely on an old distinction between games of skill and games of chance. For the central online money-game prohibition, the statutory definition covers skill, chance or a combination of both when money or equivalent stakes are paid in expectation of monetary or equivalent enrichment. E-sports that satisfy the Act’s specific definition are treated separately and may not involve bets or wagers.

The Current Regulatory Framework

The sports betting advertising ban in India should be understood as a combination of overlapping rules rather than a single isolated provision.

1. Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025

The Act is the central starting point in 2026.

It prohibits:

1. Offering or facilitating an online money game.
2. Advertising an online money game directly or indirectly.
3. Facilitating payments for an online money gaming service.

The advertising provision applies to any media, including electronic communications. It is written broadly and covers involvement in making or causing an advertisement, not only the operator that purchases it.

2. Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026

The Rules provide the process for determining whether a game is prohibited or belongs to a permitted category such as an online social game or recognised e-sport.

They also set out the structure of the Online Gaming Authority of India, registration mechanisms, user-safety obligations, complaint procedures and enforcement processes.

3. Consumer Protection Act, 2019

The Consumer Protection Act defines an advertisement broadly. It includes publicity, representations, endorsements and pronouncements communicated through print, electronic media, the internet or a website.

This matters because the online gaming legislation adopts the Consumer Protection Act’s definition of advertisement.

The Consumer Protection Act also gives the Central Consumer Protection Authority powers to order the withdrawal or modification of misleading advertisements and to impose penalties in appropriate cases. A person who publishes or participates in publishing a misleading advertisement may face a penalty of up to ₹10 lakh under section 21. Manufacturers and endorsers may face penalties of up to ₹10 lakh for an initial contravention and up to ₹50 lakh for subsequent contraventions. An endorser may also be prohibited from making endorsements for up to one year, increasing to three years for later violations.

These consumer-protection penalties are separate from the offences created by the online gaming legislation.

4. Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements, 2022

Clause 9 of the misleading-advertisement guidelines prevents advertisements for goods or services that are prohibited from being produced, sold, provided or advertised under another law.

The CCPA has relied on this principle when warning against direct and surrogate betting promotions.

5. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Advisories

The MIB advisories remain useful for understanding the types of conduct authorities have treated as problematic:

• Betting banners and promotional posts.
• Offshore operator advertisements.
• Surrogate sports-news brands.
• Advertising targeted towards Indian consumers.
• Celebrity and influencer endorsements.
• Campaigns intensified during cricket tournaments.
• Branded content presented as journalism.

The March 2024 influencer advisory also explained that online intermediaries may be directed to remove or disable access to betting advertisements and branded content.

6. ASCI Advertising Standards

The Advertising Standards Council of India is a self-regulatory organisation rather than a criminal enforcement authority. Its code nevertheless remains relevant to advertisers, agencies and media companies.

ASCI’s general code places responsibility on those who commission, create, place or publish advertising. Its real-money gaming guidelines also require prominent financial-risk and addiction warnings, prohibit targeting minors and prevent games from being portrayed as employment or a route to greater success. These standards do not legalise an advertisement that is prohibited under legislation.

What Counts as an Advertisement?

Publishers often make the mistake of defining advertising according to payment format.

They assume a banner bought at a fixed price is an advertisement, while a review containing affiliate links is editorial. That distinction is no longer safe.

The more useful test is functional:

Does the communication promote an online money game or induce a person to play it?

A page may have an advertising function when it:

• Creates desire for a gambling product.
• Identifies a particular operator as the preferred choice.
• Reduces the practical steps between interest and registration.
• Provides a link, button, QR code, referral code or application download.
• Highlights bonuses, odds, payment convenience or withdrawal speed.
• Uses rankings to direct a reader towards selected commercial partners.
• Earns money when a reader registers, deposits or wagers.
• Presents wagering as exciting, profitable, socially desirable or urgent.

Payment from an operator strengthens the evidence of commercial intent, but it is not necessarily the only factor. Section 6 is not limited to paid-for banner advertising. It covers direct and indirect promotion or inducement.

A publisher should therefore audit the entire reader journey:

1. What search term brings the reader to the page?
2. What does the headline promise?
3. Which brands appear first?
4. Are bonuses or odds visually prominent?
5. Does the page contain an outbound operator link?
6. Is the URL tracked?
7. What action is the reader encouraged to take?
8. Does the publisher benefit from that action?
9. Does the next page enable registration, payment or wagering?
10. Would the page still serve a meaningful purpose if every operator link and bonus were removed?

That final question is particularly useful. If removing the transactional elements destroys the page’s purpose, the content was probably built as a conversion page rather than a neutral editorial resource.

Direct Sports Betting Promotion

Direct promotion is the clearest category.

Examples include:

• A sportsbook banner displayed above a cricket article.
• A landing page saying, “Join today and receive a ₹10,000 bonus.”
• A review with a “Register Now” button.
• An email encouraging subscribers to bet on an IPL match.
• A social-media post containing a bookmaker referral code.
• A push notification advertising enhanced odds.
• A YouTube description linking to a betting application.
• A comparison table with buttons leading to operator registration pages.
• A sponsored video showing viewers how to place a wager.
• A QR code that opens a sportsbook or APK download page.

Calling such material “partner content” does not alter its function.

Neither does replacing “Bet Now” with softer wording such as:

• Visit site.
• View offer.
• Explore platform.
• Learn more.
• Check odds.
• Unlock rewards.

When the button or link leads to an online money gaming service, changing the label does not remove the underlying promotional pathway.

Indirect and Surrogate Promotion

Indirect promotion is more difficult to identify because it is designed to appear separate from the betting product.

Surrogate advertising may involve a different product, publication or service using the same—or a confusingly similar—brand identity as a wagering operator.

Common patterns include:

• A “sports news” website with the same name and logo as a sportsbook.
• A cricket score application carrying the colours and marks of an offshore betting brand.
• Merchandise, music, lifestyle or entertainment advertising that repeatedly displays a betting operator’s identity.
• A tournament sponsorship that directs viewers to a branded portal connected to wagering.
• A creator discussing a “sports community” while displaying a betting brand and referral code.
• A news page whose principal purpose is to move visitors into a sportsbook account journey.

The MIB has specifically warned against offshore betting businesses using news sites as surrogate brands, including cases where the news and betting properties have strikingly similar logos and identities.

The important issue is not whether the surrogate site publishes some genuine sports content. Regulators may examine the relationship between the brands, the user journey, shared visual elements, outbound destinations and commercial purpose.

A neutral publisher should investigate before accepting an advertisement from a sports-news or entertainment brand that may be associated with online wagering.

Questions for the advertising team should include:

• Does the advertiser share a name with a betting operator?
• Are its logos, colour schemes or taglines similar?
• Does its website redirect visitors to a money-game service?
• Does the advertiser share directors, ownership, contact details or infrastructure with a betting business?
• Is the advertised service commercially genuine and independently available?
• Does the media spend appear disproportionate to the legitimate product being advertised?
• Are landing pages changed depending on device, traffic source or location?
• Does the campaign coincide with an IPL, international cricket or major football event?
• Is the advertiser unwilling to provide ownership and business documentation?

A publisher should not treat an advertiser’s written assurance as sufficient where visible evidence points towards surrogate promotion.

Affiliate Marketing and Betting Affiliate Law in India

Affiliate marketing is one of the highest-risk areas under the 2026 framework.

A standard betting affiliate arrangement may involve:

1. A publisher creating a “best betting sites” article.
2. Operators being ranked in a comparison table.
3. Each operator receiving a tracked outbound link.
4. The reader clicking through to register.
5. The publisher earning a fee for the registration, deposit or future player activity.

That structure is not merely informative. It is a commercial acquisition funnel.

Why affiliate links are high risk

A betting affiliate link usually performs three functions simultaneously:

• It identifies the operator.
• It directs the reader towards the operator.
• It records the referral so the publisher can be paid.

Those characteristics provide strong evidence that the page is intended to promote or induce participation.

The risk increases when the link appears beside:

• A welcome bonus.
• A “best odds” claim.
• A promotional code.
• A rating score.
• A “fastest withdrawal” claim.
• A recommendation badge.
• A countdown timer.
• A limited-time offer.
• A “verified” or “safe” label.
• A prominent operator logo.

Disclosure is necessary but not a legal cure

An affiliate disclosure is important for transparency. It tells readers that commercial relationships may influence which products are presented.

However, a disclosure does not transform prohibited promotion into lawful editorial content.

Consider this statement:

We may receive a commission if you register through one of our links.

That disclosure accurately describes the relationship. But the page may still promote an online money game through rankings, bonuses and direct links.

Transparency answers one question: does the reader know the publisher may be paid?

It does not answer the separate legal question: is the underlying advertisement prohibited?

Revenue-share arrangements create additional concerns

Revenue-share models can be especially problematic because the publisher may earn more when referred players deposit or lose more money.

Even when rankings are presented as independent, the commercial model may create an incentive to:

• Give higher-paying operators better positions.
• Minimise criticism.
• exaggerate payment speed.
• Promote larger bonuses.
• Hide wagering restrictions.
• Encourage repeated deposits.
• Publish more conversion-focused content.

A responsible compliance review should examine both the visible page and the contract behind it.

Publisher questions for affiliate arrangements

A publisher conducting a betting affiliate audit should determine:

• Is compensation based on clicks, registrations, deposits, net revenue or player losses?
• Are commercial partners allowed to approve or edit reviews?
• Do ranking positions change according to commission?
• Are tracking URLs hidden through redirects?
• Do shortened links lead to prohibited services?
• Are bonuses automatically imported from an affiliate feed?
• Are there sub-affiliates or agencies between the publisher and operator?
• Do links remain active on old pages?
• Are applications or APK files hosted directly?
• Are readers instructed to use alternative domains when one is blocked?
• Does content explain how to bypass restrictions or payment controls?

The last two points are particularly serious. Content should never offer cloaking, mirror-domain, VPN, geo-evasion or payment-circumvention instructions designed to keep prohibited gambling access available.

Influencer and Creator Risks

Influencer promotion is not treated as a lower-risk category simply because the content feels informal.

A creator may be advertising an online money game by:

• Naming the application they use.
• Displaying the operator interface.
• Demonstrating a bet.
• Sharing a personal referral code.
• Pinning a registration link.
• Wearing prominently branded clothing.
• Promoting a surrogate news or entertainment property.
• Claiming large winnings.
• Presenting gambling as a lifestyle.
• Offering followers a deposit bonus.
• Directing users to a private messaging group for links.
• Streaming gambling sessions with operator branding.

A “not sponsored” label is not decisive when the creator receives referral revenue, free credit, hospitality, appearance fees or another commercial benefit.

The MIB and CCPA have specifically warned celebrities and influencers against direct and surrogate endorsements of offshore online betting and gambling platforms. Their advisories also contemplate removal or disabling of offending social-media content and proceedings under applicable law.

Due diligence has limits

Under the Consumer Protection Act, an endorser may rely on a due-diligence defence in relation to penalties for false or misleading claims where the endorser genuinely verified the claims being made.

That does not create general permission to advertise a prohibited online money game.

Checking that a bonus exists or that an operator paid one withdrawal does not answer whether promoting that product is lawful.

Agencies and talent managers are also exposed

Compliance responsibility should not be pushed entirely onto the public figure.

Agencies should review:

• The true identity of the advertiser.
• The destination of every URL and QR code.
• Whether a sports-news brand is connected to a sportsbook.
• Whether the campaign includes affiliate tracking.
• How the advertisement will be targeted.
• Whether alternative creatives will be served to Indian users.
• Whether the advertiser intends to reuse content on other channels.
• Whether gambling imagery will be inserted after the creator approves the video.
• Whether old branded content must be removed.

A contract clause requiring an advertiser to obey the law is useful, but it does not replace an actual compliance review.

Publisher Versus Intermediary Liability

Publishers sometimes rely too broadly on the concept of intermediary safe harbour.

Section 79 of the Information Technology Act concerns qualifying intermediaries dealing with third-party information. It is not a universal immunity for content a publisher creates, commissions, edits or monetises directly.

A media company that writes a sportsbook ranking, inserts affiliate links and earns commission is not in the same position as a passive platform hosting a user’s unauthorised comment.

The 2024 MIB advisory noted that an intermediary’s exemption may become unavailable when it receives actual knowledge or a government notification concerning unlawful material and fails to remove or disable access expeditiously.

For compliance purposes, distinguish among:

• First-party editorial content: Created or commissioned by the publisher.
• Paid branded content: Created for an advertiser.
• Programmatic advertisements: Supplied through an ad network.
• Affiliate content: Monetised according to user actions.
• User-generated content: Posted by users.
• Embedded third-party widgets: Odds, bonuses, streams or promotions controlled externally.
• Influencer content: Published by a creator but amplified or monetised by the platform.

Each category may require different controls, but none should be ignored merely because a third party supplied the material.

Before-and-After Page Layout Examples

The following examples are intended as compliance comparisons, not techniques for disguising promotional pages.

Example 1: Betting-Site Comparison Page

High-Risk Promotional Layout

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TOP 10 CRICKET BETTING SITES IN INDIA                  │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ #1 Operator A — 100% Bonus up to ₹10,000               │
│ ★★★★★ Fast UPI Withdrawals                              │
│ [CLAIM BONUS] [BET NOW]                                 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ #2 Operator B — ₹5,000 Free Bet                        │
│ ★★★★☆ Best IPL Odds                                     │
│ [REGISTER NOW]                                          │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Why it is high risk:

• It ranks betting operators.
• It displays incentives.
• It contains direct calls to action.
• It makes payment and odds claims.
• It facilitates account registration.
• It is likely to contain affiliate tracking.
• The layout’s primary purpose is conversion.

Neutral Editorial Alternative

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ HOW TO IDENTIFY PROHIBITED ONLINE MONEY-GAME PROMOTION │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ • Current central advertising prohibition              │
│ • Red flags in operator ranking pages                   │
│ • How affiliate tracking works                          │
│ • Why disclaimers do not legalise promotional links    │
│ • Steps for auditing and removing legacy campaigns     │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

The alternative does not recommend operators, display bonuses or direct readers towards a transaction.

Example 2: Cricket Match Preview

High-Risk Promotional Layout

INDIA VS AUSTRALIA: T20 BETTING TIPS

Operator A odds:
India 1.75 | Australia 2.15

New players receive a ₹7,500 bonus.
Use code INDIA75.

[BET ON INDIA NOW]

Why it is high risk:

The page combines sports analysis with operator-specific odds, an incentive, a code and a direct betting link.

Neutral Sports-Journalism Alternative

INDIA VS AUSTRALIA: T20 MATCH PREVIEW

• Confirmed squad information
• Recent form
• Pitch characteristics
• Weather conditions
• Likely playing combinations
• Key batter-versus-bowler match-ups
• Historical head-to-head record

This article contains no betting odds, wagering advice or operator links.

This version serves readers interested in the match without moving them towards a wager.

Example 3: Betting Application Page

High-Risk Promotional Layout

HOW TO DOWNLOAD OPERATOR A APK IN INDIA

1. Disable your phone’s security warning.
2. Download the file from our mirror.
3. Create an account with code WIN500.
4. Deposit through UPI.
5. Claim your welcome bonus.

[DOWNLOAD APK]

Why it is high risk:

It facilitates access, registration, payment and participation. It also encourages users to weaken device-security controls and use an unofficial mirror.

Neutral Consumer-Safety Alternative

WHY UNVERIFIED GAMBLING APK FILES ARE A SECURITY RISK

• Risks of unknown download sources
• Excessive application permissions
• Credential and payment-data theft
• Malware and remote-access threats
• Risks associated with mirror domains
• How to remove a suspicious application
• Where to report financial fraud

This version addresses the safety problem without helping a prohibited service acquire users.

Example 4: Influencer Video

High-Risk Promotional Presentation

“I won ₹40,000 using this app last night.

Use my personal code PRINCE100 for a special bonus.
The link is pinned in my comments.”

Why it is high risk:

It links gambling with financial success, contains a referral code and encourages immediate participation.

Neutral Public-Interest Presentation

“This report examines how betting referral codes are promoted
through creator accounts and how viewers can recognise
undisclosed commercial relationships.

No operator links or referral codes are included.”

The second presentation reports on the practice instead of participating in it.

Editorial Reporting Versus Promotion

The online gaming law does not require publishers to pretend that gambling does not exist.

Newsrooms may still need to report on:

• Legislation.
• Court proceedings.
• Enforcement actions.
• Consumer complaints.
• Financial crime investigations.
• Advertising-industry developments.
• Public-health concerns.
• Sports sponsorship controversies.
• Corporate closures.
• Cybersecurity incidents.
• Influencer enforcement.
• Research concerning gambling-related harm.

The central distinction is whether the content informs the public or induces participation.

Features of defensible editorial coverage

A lower-risk editorial article usually has several of these characteristics:

• A clear public-interest purpose.
• No registration, deposit or application-download links.
• No bonuses or promo codes.
• No operator rankings.
• No favourable recommendation.
• No betting instructions.
• No claim that an operator is the “best,” “safest” or “fastest.”
• No commission linked to user behaviour.
• Balanced and critical context.
• Links, where necessary, to regulators, legislation, court documents or consumer-protection sources rather than gambling services.
• Operator names used only when necessary for accurate reporting.
• Prominent corrections where facts change.

There is no automatic editorial safe harbour

A publisher should not assume that every article on a news domain is protected as journalism.

An article can still function as promotion when it:

• Is paid for by the operator.
• Contains affiliate links.
• reproduces marketing claims.
• Highlights a bonus.
• Links to registration.
• Gives deposit instructions.
• Encourages a specific bet.
• Embeds an operator’s live odds.
• Uses a promotional comparison table.
• Praises the operator without scrutiny.
• Conceals the commercial relationship.

The word “news” in a domain name, navigation label or disclaimer does not control the legal character of the page.

Naming operators in critical reporting

A named operator may be relevant when reporting an enforcement action, court dispute, cybersecurity event or consumer complaint.

Use only the identification reasonably necessary for the story.

Avoid turning the article into free brand exposure by:

• Repeating the operator name unnecessarily.
• Placing a large logo above the headline.
• Linking to its homepage.
• Embedding promotional videos.
• Including its latest offer.
• Displaying a clickable application screenshot.
• Explaining how readers can access an alternative domain.
• Republishing the operator’s sales language without context.

Where a screenshot is needed as evidence, crop or annotate it so that the public-interest information is visible without creating a functional promotional link.

Promotional Copy Versus Neutral Copy

Small wording changes cannot rescue a page whose structure remains promotional. Nevertheless, language is an important part of the audit.

High-risk copy	Neutral alternative
Get the best IPL odds today	This article does not provide or compare betting odds
Join now before the offer expires	No registration or operator links are included
Win big on your favourite team	Online wagering can result in substantial financial loss
Instant UPI withdrawals	Payment-speed claims require evidence and do not remove legal risk
Risk-free first bet	Betting is not risk-free; avoid the term entirely
Guaranteed winning tip	No sporting outcome or gambling return can be guaranteed
Our number-one bookmaker	We do not rank or recommend betting operators
Download the app here	Do not facilitate application downloads for prohibited services
Use our exclusive promo code	Remove referral and promotional codes
Safe and legal across India	Do not make blanket legality or safety claims
Earn money from cricket knowledge	Do not present wagering as employment or income
Trusted offshore platform	Offshore status is not proof of Indian authorisation

A neutral alternative must change the purpose of the content, not simply replace a few aggressive verbs.

Bonus Tables, Odds and Operator Rankings

Bonus tables are among the strongest promotional signals on an affiliate page.

They usually combine:

• A named operator.
• A financial incentive.
• A deposit condition.
• A promo code.
• A sign-up link.
• A visual recommendation.
• A deadline or scarcity message.

Even where wagering conditions are displayed, the table still directs readers towards registration.

A disclaimer below the table cannot erase the commercial function created above it.

Live odds

Live odds can present similar risk when they are:

• Supplied by a betting operator.
• Branded with that operator’s identity.
• Linked to a bet slip.
• Automatically refreshed.
• Accompanied by a betting CTA.
• Monetised through an affiliate feed.

Historical odds may occasionally be relevant in academic, regulatory or investigative reporting. They should not be used as a pretext for maintaining a conversion widget.

Operator rankings

A “top bookmakers” list normally implies endorsement.

It becomes especially risky when rankings are influenced by:

• Affiliate commission.
• Advertising spend.
• Exclusive bonuses.
• Commercial negotiations.
• Operator approval.
• Revenue-share terms.
• Conversion performance.

Replacing numerical rankings with labels such as “featured partners” or “popular choices” does not necessarily solve the problem when the same operators, links and commercial incentives remain.

Can Disclaimers Make Betting Advertising Compliant?

No disclaimer can legalise an advertisement that is prohibited by law.

The following statements do not provide automatic protection:

• 18+ only.
• Gamble responsibly.
• Terms and conditions apply.
• This is not financial advice.
• Availability varies by state.
• We are not responsible for external websites.
• This article is for information only.
• Some links may be affiliate links.
• Check your local laws.
• We do not operate the betting service.

These notices may address separate transparency or consumer-information issues. They do not neutralise a registration button, affiliate link, bonus table or deposit guide.

A responsible gambling warning is still appropriate whenever gambling is discussed. It should be prominent and accurate. But it must not be treated as a permission slip for prohibited promotion.

Penalties and Enforcement Exposure

The penalties under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act are significantly more serious than the amounts stated in many older betting-advertising articles.

For a first contravention of the advertising prohibition, a person who makes or causes an advertisement may face:

• Imprisonment for up to two years.
• A fine of up to ₹50 lakh.
• Or both.

For a second or subsequent conviction under the advertising provision, the Act provides for imprisonment of at least two years and up to three years, along with a fine of at least ₹50 lakh and up to ₹1 crore.

The Act also provides for information associated with an online money gaming service to be blocked where sections 5, 6 or 7 are not complied with.

Companies should also note the provision concerning offences by companies. Persons responsible for the relevant part of the company’s business may be proceeded against along with the company, subject to statutory protections where they can establish lack of knowledge or due diligence. Officers may face exposure where an offence occurred with their consent, connivance or neglect.

Separate consequences may arise under consumer-protection law for false or misleading advertisements. The CCPA may direct modification or withdrawal and may impose penalties on publishers, endorsers and other responsible parties in the circumstances described by the Consumer Protection Act.

Other commercial consequences can include:

• Termination by advertising networks.
• Removal from search advertising platforms.
• Social-media account restrictions.
• Loss of payment-processing relationships.
• Contractual claims from business partners.
• Reputational damage.
• Increased scrutiny of connected sites and companies.
• Removal of pages, posts, links or applications.
• Investigation of company directors or responsible officers.

Publisher Red-Flag Checklist

Treat every “Yes” answer as an issue requiring removal, escalation or legal review.

Links and Calls to Action

• Does the page link to an online betting or money-game operator?
• Does the link contain affiliate or campaign parameters?
• Is the link hidden behind a redirect or shortened URL?
• Is there a “Play Now,” “Bet Now,” “Register” or “Claim” button?
• Does a QR code open an operator page or application?
• Does the page direct users to a Telegram, WhatsApp or private group for links?
• Are alternative domains provided when the principal domain is unavailable?
• Does the content explain how to bypass blocking or location controls?

Bonuses and Incentives

• Is a deposit bonus displayed?
• Is a free bet or cashback offer displayed?
• Is there an “exclusive” promotional code?
• Does the page use urgency, scarcity or a countdown timer?
• Are bonus conditions minimised or hidden?
• Is gambling described as risk-free?
• Does the page promise easy or guaranteed winnings?

Rankings and Reviews

• Are betting operators ranked from best to worst?
• Are commercial partners placed above non-paying operators?
• Does the publisher claim to have tested accounts without evidence?
• Are safety, licensing or payment claims unverified?
• Does the review contain direct registration links?
• Would the article have little purpose without its operator table?

Odds and Sports Content

• Are live betting odds embedded?
• Are odds attributed to a named operator?
• Can a reader click an odd to open a bet slip?
• Does a match preview contain a bookmaker bonus?
• Does the article encourage a specific wager?
• Are sporting predictions presented as guaranteed tips?
• Is betting portrayed as a reliable use of sports knowledge?

Applications and Payments

• Does the page offer an APK download?
• Is the file hosted on an unofficial mirror?
• Does the page tell users to disable security controls?
• Are registration and KYC steps explained?
• Are deposit methods promoted?
• Are UPI, crypto or payment routes presented as ways to reach an offshore operator?
• Does the page provide withdrawal or cashout instructions for a prohibited service?

Affiliate and Commercial Relationships

• Does the publisher receive cost-per-acquisition commission?
• Does the publisher receive revenue share?
• Is compensation connected to deposits or player losses?
• Can an operator influence rankings or reviews?
• Are commercial relationships undisclosed?
• Do legacy pages contain expired but functional tracking links?
• Are bonuses automatically imported through an affiliate feed?
• Are third-party widgets outside the editorial team’s control?

Influencer Content

• Does a creator share a referral code?
• Does a creator display the application or betting interface?
• Does the content show wins but not losses?
• Is gambling associated with wealth, success or celebrity?
• Does the creator say “not sponsored” despite receiving a benefit?
• Is old sponsored content still live?
• Is a surrogate brand being promoted?
• Is the disclosure difficult to see or hear?

Surrogate Advertising

• Does the advertiser share a name with a betting operator?
• Are the logos or colour schemes similar?
• Does the landing page redirect to wagering?
• Is the advertised news or lifestyle product commercially genuine?
• Is the campaign concentrated around major cricket events?
• Has the advertiser refused to disclose ownership?
• Are different landing pages shown to different users?
• Does the campaign create brand recall for the underlying betting service?

A Practical Removal and Remediation Plan

A compliance audit should result in substantive changes rather than a new disclaimer placed over the same promotional system.

Step 1: Freeze new publication

Pause:

• New betting reviews.
• Operator comparisons.
• Bonus updates.
• Affiliate newsletters.
• Influencer campaigns.
• Paid social advertisements.
• Betting application pages.
• Live-odds widgets.
• Sportsbook sponsorships.

This prevents additional exposure while the existing library is assessed.

Step 2: Create a complete content inventory

Identify all URLs containing terms such as:

• Betting.
• Bookmaker.
• Sportsbook.
• Odds.
• Bonus.
• Free bet.
• Promo code.
• Betting app.
• APK.
• Casino.
• Real-money game.
• Prediction.
• Tip.
• Bet now.
• Play now.

Do not rely only on page titles. Search:

• WordPress custom fields.
• Widgets.
• Image links.
• Redirect plugins.
• JavaScript.
• Shortcodes.
• Advertising tags.
• Email templates.
• Push-notification systems.
• Mobile application content.
• Structured data.
• Archived campaign pages.

Step 3: Map every outbound destination

Export all outbound links and follow redirect chains.

Classify each destination as:

• Government or regulator.
• Court or legislative source.
• General news source.
• Sports organisation.
• Operator.
• Affiliate network.
• Application store.
• File download.
• Shortened link.
• Unknown redirect.

Unknown or obscured links should be treated as high risk until verified.

Step 4: Remove transactional elements

Remove, rather than cosmetically rename:

• Operator links.
• Registration buttons.
• Deposit buttons.
• Promo codes.
• QR codes.
• Bonus tables.
• Live betting widgets.
• Application downloads.
• Mirrors.
• Alternative access domains.
• Referral links.
• Affiliate scripts.

A link labelled “Learn More” still presents a problem when it leads to registration.

Step 5: Separate legitimate sports coverage

Match previews, score reports and team news can be rebuilt as genuine sports journalism.

Remove:

• Odds.
• betting predictions.
• “best bet” sections.
• Operator sponsorship.
• Referral modules.
• Betting-related schema.
• Dynamic bonus blocks.

Add useful non-wagering information such as:

• Squad updates.
• Player availability.
• Venue records.
• Weather.
• Tactical match-ups.
• Tournament context.
• Verified statistics.
• Official broadcast information.

Step 6: Review commercial contracts

Identify agreements with:

• Operators.
• Affiliate networks.
• Advertising agencies.
• Influencers.
• Sponsorship brokers.
• Widget providers.
• Email-marketing vendors.
• Application distributors.

The compliance team should determine whether contracts must be suspended, terminated or amended. Existing payment obligations should be reviewed by counsel rather than used as a reason to keep promotional content live.

Step 7: Remove or restrict old social content

Audit:

• YouTube descriptions.
• Pinned comments.
• Community posts.
• Instagram biographies.
• Link-in-bio pages.
• Facebook posts.
• X posts.
• Telegram channels.
• Archived livestreams.
• Podcast descriptions.
• Creator coupon pages.

Old content remains promotional when its links, referral codes and calls to action still work.

Step 8: Establish an approval process

Require legal or senior compliance approval for content involving:

• Online games.
• Prize competitions.
• E-sports.
• Fantasy sports.
• Opinion trading.
• Wagering terminology.
• Offshore gaming companies.
• Gambling enforcement.
• Surrogate brands.
• Creator sponsorships.

Editors should have a documented escalation route when they are uncertain whether a product involves money or equivalent stakes.

What Publishers Should Not Do

A compliance review must not become a workaround project.

Do not:

• Cloak betting links from regulators or advertising platforms.
• Serve different content to compliance reviewers and ordinary users.
• Hide affiliate URLs behind multiple redirects.
• Use VPN or geo-evasion instructions.
• Replace operator names with symbols while preserving the same links.
• Move promo codes into images to avoid text scanning.
• Put registration instructions inside downloadable PDFs.
• Send prohibited links through private messaging groups.
• Use a surrogate news brand to preserve operator recognition.
• Host APK files on unrelated domains.
• Continue the same promotion through push notifications.
• Keep bonus feeds active but remove only the visible heading.
• Add an 18+ notice and claim the page is therefore compliant.
• Backdate articles to make promotions appear historical.
• Change publication dates without carrying out a substantive review.

These actions may strengthen evidence that the publisher understood the restriction and intentionally attempted to avoid it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is sports betting advertising banned throughout India in 2026?

The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act applies throughout India and prohibits advertisements that directly or indirectly promote or induce participation in an online money game. The Act came into force on 1 May 2026 and also applies to covered services operated outside India but offered within Indian territory.

Does the ban apply only to games of chance?

No. The statutory definition of an online money game covers a game based on skill, chance or both when a user pays money or another stake in expectation of monetary or equivalent enrichment.

Can I keep affiliate links if I add a disclosure?

An affiliate disclosure improves transparency but does not legalise a link or page that directly or indirectly promotes an online money game. A tracked registration link combined with bonuses, rankings or calls to action is a strong promotional signal.

Can I replace “Bet Now” with “Visit Website”?

Changing the button text does not change the destination or commercial purpose. A neutral-looking button that leads to an online money gaming service can still facilitate and promote that service.

Can a sports website publish bookmaker rankings?

A ranked list of betting operators containing recommendation language, bonuses or outbound links is high risk because it helps readers choose and access an online money game. Removing links while keeping a commercially influenced ranking may not be sufficient if the page continues to function as promotion.

Can I publish live betting odds?

Operator-specific live odds linked to a wagering service or bet slip are likely to have a direct promotional function. Historical odds may sometimes be used in legitimate research or reporting, but they should not be presented as a route to current wagering.

Can a cricket article include general betting tips without naming an operator?

Even without an operator name, content that encourages readers to place wagers may raise issues under the broad wording covering promotion or inducement. A sports publisher seeking a lower-risk approach should provide match analysis without betting recommendations.

Is it acceptable to mention a betting company in a news report?

A necessary, proportionate reference in genuine reporting is different from endorsement. The article should not include operator links, bonuses, registration instructions or unnecessary promotional imagery. The surrounding context and complete user journey matter.

Can I publish a screenshot of a betting application?

A screenshot may be necessary in investigative or enforcement reporting. It should be used only to the extent required to explain the story. Avoid clickable images, visible promotional codes, registration instructions or presentation that makes the application attractive to prospective users.

Do 18+ and responsible gambling warnings make an advertisement lawful?

No. Responsible gambling warnings address age and harm concerns. They do not override the statutory advertising prohibition.

Can influencers promote a sports-news brand connected to a bookmaker?

This may constitute surrogate promotion where the news brand shares its identity with a betting platform or ultimately channels users towards wagering. The MIB has specifically addressed surrogate sports-news advertising linked to offshore betting operators.

What should an influencer do with old betting posts?

Old content should be audited for active referral links, operator tags, promotional codes, pinned comments and application demonstrations. Material that continues to direct users towards an online money game should not be assumed safe merely because the sponsorship has ended.

Can a publisher rely on an advertiser’s assurance that a campaign is legal?

An assurance may form part of due diligence, but it is not enough where the campaign’s content, brand relationship or destination indicates betting promotion. Publishers should independently verify the advertiser, landing pages, ownership, redirects and commercial purpose.

Does the law apply to offshore websites?

The Act expressly applies to online money gaming services offered within India, including services operated from outside Indian territory.

Can a foreign publisher target Indian readers with sportsbook links?

Targeting Indian readers with promotional content for an online money game creates substantial exposure under a law that has express extra-territorial application to covered services offered in India. Jurisdiction and enforcement should be assessed by qualified counsel.

Is a free-to-play game treated the same way as a money game?

Not automatically. The Act distinguishes online social games and e-sports from online money games. The exact structure matters, including whether the user pays money or equivalent stakes, expects monetary enrichment, or can convert virtual items into value. The Online Gaming Authority may determine the proper classification.

Can a publisher keep a betting article but remove the links?

Removing links is an important step, but the remaining article must still be reviewed. A page containing operator rankings, bonus promotions, persuasive recommendations or betting instructions may continue to promote or induce participation without a clickable link.

Are tax warnings enough to make betting content neutral?

No. Adding information about tax, financial risk or legal uncertainty does not cancel a promotional CTA, referral code or operator recommendation. Tax information should not be used as a compliance shield.

What penalties can apply to betting advertisements?

Under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, a first advertising contravention may result in up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to ₹50 lakh or both. Repeat convictions carry higher minimum and maximum penalties. Separate consumer-protection consequences may also apply to misleading advertisements.

Does the law contain a blanket exception for editorial publishers?

Section 6 does not state a general exception for material merely labelled editorial. Genuine reporting that does not promote or induce participation may fall outside the prohibited function, but publishers should assess the actual content, commercial relationship and reader journey rather than rely on a page label.

Final Publisher Position

The 2026 sports betting advertising ban in India requires a change in how publishers think about compliance.

The central question is no longer whether a page looks like a traditional advertisement. It is whether the page, link, video, table, widget or social post directly or indirectly promotes an online money game or induces someone to participate.

A page with a bonus table, operator ranking and affiliate buttons is promotional even when it contains thousands of words of supporting copy.

A creator’s personal referral code remains commercial even when the video says “not sponsored.”

A sports-news brand can function as surrogate advertising when its identity and user journey are tied to an underlying betting service.

A disclaimer can improve transparency, but it cannot legalise prohibited advertising.

The defensible publishing model is to remove transaction funnels and concentrate on genuine public-interest content: sports reporting, legal analysis, consumer warnings, enforcement news, cybersecurity information and responsible gambling education.

Where a page’s value disappears after its operator links, bonuses and registration buttons are removed, the appropriate response is not cosmetic rewriting. It is a fundamental change in purpose—or removal of the page.

Official Sources Consulted

• Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, including sections 5, 6, 7 and 9.
• Government notification bringing the Act into force on 1 May 2026.
• Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026 overview.
• MIB advisories concerning direct and surrogate betting advertisements.
• CCPA and MIB advisory concerning betting endorsements by celebrities and influencers.
• Consumer Protection Act provisions concerning misleading advertisements, publishers and endorsers.
• ASCI code and responsible real-money gaming advertising guidance.