Fantasy sports gaming and other online gaming companies that offer “real money winnings” will soon need to carry clear disclaimers in their print and audio-visual ads to ensure consumers are aware about financial risks involved in playing such games.

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has finalised a set of guidelines, in a bid to make ads of “real-money games”, which are rapidly gaining popularity in the country, safer and responsible. In print and audio-visual ads, online gaming companies with “real money winnings”, will need to ensure that a disclaimer is displayed stating, “ This game involves an element of financial risk and may be addictive. Please play responsibly and at your own risk .”

Manisha Kapoor, Secretary General of ASCI, said the new guidelines were finalised after it was observed that several such gaming ads are targeting youth and families by suggesting that these can become sources of income or livelihood for them.

No alternative employment

ASCI guidelines also state that gaming advertisements cannot depict users under the age of 18 years as engaged in playing a game of “online gaming for real money winnings” or suggest that such users can play these games. Such advertisements should also not present “online gaming for real money winnings as an income opportunity or an alternative employment option”. They also “should not suggest that a person engaged in gaming activity is in any way more successful as compared to others”, according to ASCI’s guidelines. These guidelines will come into effect from December 15 and apply to advertisements that are legally permitted.

“The key fact that is completely suppressed in most of these advertisements is the real possibility of losing money. We wanted to ensure that such financial risks are not suppressed and hidden in these ads and the disclaimers are displayed in a standardised manner by the industry,” Kapoor added.

In print ads, the disclaimer, “should occupy no less than 20 per cent of the space in the advertisement”. In audio-visual ads, this disclaimer, “must be placed in normal speaking pace at the end of the advertisement, must be in the same language as the advertisement and needs to be in both audio and visual formats,” according to the ASCI guidelines.

Kapoor said that given the frequent use of celebrities combined with the fact that these games are highly addictive, these advertisements end up being not just misleading, but also harmful to individuals and society and violate ASCI code.

Misleading, harmful

ASCI said that the government, through Information & Broadcasting Ministry, Department of Consumer Affairs and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has given itssupport to these guidelines that aim to address growing concerns about the potential misleading and harmful advertisements in the sector. In recent times, some States have reportedly banned or are looking to ban games involving financial wagering and bets. “While the government will take a decision on the legal issues surrounding the sector, we believe these advertising guidelines will make online gaming for real money winnings more transparent and safer,” she stated.

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