The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS), the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) and the E-Gaming Federation (EGF).

The MoU between ASCI and the online gaming industry federations establishes a framework to address these challenges through a special monitoring cell that will focus on screening and reporting offshore betting and gambling advertisements to the concerned ministries. The cell will also screen and process real-money gaming advertisements that are found to be in potential violation of the ASCI Code. The partnership aims to surface illegal ads and also strengthen compliance of the RMG industry.

Since the kickoff of the MoU in January 2025, ASCI has flagged 413 ads of offshore betting to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and processed 12 advertisements for potential violation of ASCI’s RMG guidelines. Previously, ASCI flagged off 1336 ads in the period April 2023–March 24, to the Ministry of I&B. Based on this, the Ministry has taken action to block such ads and platforms. During the same period, 492 cases pertaining to Real Money Gaming were also taken up by ASCI.

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Indian state laws prohibit gambling and offshore betting activities; making advertisements for these activities, illegal in these states. However, online real-money games (RMG) that require a predominance of skill, are permitted by most state laws, and their advertising is therefore allowed. Some offshore betting and gambling operators attempt to portray themselves as legally permitted gaming companies, necessitating the need to identify such advertisements and escalate the same to regulators. For the real-money gaming sector, ASCI’s guidelines for “Advertising of Online Gaming for Real Money Winnings” needs advertisements to ensure that the content of such ads remains responsible and does not depict minors or represents winnings as a means of livelihood. In addition, these ads are required to carry disclaimers to inform consumers of the risks associated with such games.

Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General of ASCI, said: “Indian consumers are exposed to numerous ads of offshore betting and gambling companies that have no accountability in India. Several Indian celebrities too have been a part of such advertisements. Since gambling ads are prohibited in most parts of the country, their large-scale presence is a breach of the law. ASCI would like to surface such advertising to the regulators for necessary action. It is also key that the gaming industry, whose advertising is permissible in India, remains compliant with the ASCI Code. We welcome the proactive initiative of the gaming associations of working with the self-regulator to create a special monitoring cell for the industry.”

Neil Castelino, CEO of Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports, said: “Members of FIFS have demonstrated their commitment and compliance to responsible advertising through implementation of the ASCI guidelines and FIFS Charter. We are further committed to adopting the global best standards in responsible advertising, and through this collaboration, we hope that Indian consumers are not exposed to illegal platforms in the guise of online gaming while promoting responsible advertising practices amongst the Indian RMG industry.”

Anuraag Saxena, CEO of E-Gaming Federation, said: “Indian citizens have been duped and scammed by unscrupulous operators for years. The nation suffers, so do consumers, so does the domestic industry. Which is why we at EGF have been pioneering responsible gaming, and mandatory audits of our gaming companies. The monitoring cell of ASCI will only turbo-boost our efforts. Together, we will uphold high ethical standards and create a safer, more trusted gaming landscape for all.”

Roland Landers, CEO of All India Gaming Federations, said: “As the oldest and largest industry federation, AIGF has been at the forefront of advocating for responsible gaming practices and addressing the menace of offshore and illegal betting and gambling. We remain steadfast in our mission to ensure a robust, transparent, and responsible gaming environment in India. By collaborating with ASCI and fellow industry federations, we aim to tackle the growing challenge of offshore gambling ads and non-compliant advertising practices. This MoU marks a pivotal step towards protecting consumers, fostering ethical advertising, and elevating the credibility of India’s online gaming sector. Together, we are dedicated to shaping a fair and sustainable ecosystem for all stakeholders.”

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The Danish Gambling Authority has launched a new campaign aimed at raising young people’s awareness of the ROFUS self-exclusion scheme.

More than 15,000 young men between the ages of 18 and 25 are currently registered with ROFUS (The Danish Gambling Authority’s Register of Voluntarily Excluded Players).

“For many, games are an entertainment product, but it is important that there is also room for people to take a break from the game – and ROFUS can be a good tool for many. We hope that our new campaign can help inform the target group – which here is primarily younger men – about this,” Anders Dorph, Director of the Danish Gambling Authority, said.

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The Danish Gambling Authority commissioned a study into young men’s relationship with gambling and ROFUS, which shows that gambling plays a large role in young men’s communities, especially at their pre-party events.

An important insight from the interviews was that although gambling is a large part of young people’s social arenas, there is not much talk about the potential negative consequences of gambling.

“When gaming is a big part of the community, it can be vulnerable to speak out and stand out from the crowd. That’s why we hope that a new campaign can start a conversation among young people that it’s okay to skip the game and ‘get it ROFUS’, which is the campaign’s slogan,” Anders Dorph explained.

The “Take it ROFUS” campaign consists of a 60-second film that alternates between a pre-party and an interview situation with six young men. As the film progresses, a discrepancy is depicted between the young men’s statements and their actions. It shows that young people may not be as good at keeping the game under control and looking out for each other as they claim.

The campaign is targeted at young men between the ages of 18 and 24 who have just been given access to gambling for money. An important criterion for the campaign was that it should be designed on the young people’s terms and reflect situations that young people can recognize themselves in. Subsequent tests of the campaign show that it resonates with the target group to a great extent, especially due to its relatable situations and group dynamics, a young language and a pace that young people are familiar with, for example, from content on social media.

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The film, produced by the agency Advice, will be shown in cinemas, on YouTube, Twitch and various streaming services, among other things.