Meta, Google in Tamil Nadu Gaming Regulator’s crosshairs for unlawful ads

After taking goal at surrogate promoting by offshore betting platforms, the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority (TNOGA) is making ready to escalate its crackdown — this time in opposition to Big Tech firms comparable to Meta and Google for allegedly enabling the promotion of unlawful playing on their platforms.

According to senior officers, TNOGA will quickly subject formal notices to main social media platforms together with Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook over the surge of ads selling offshore betting and playing web sites.

The transfer alerts the state regulator’s intent to carry not solely the advertisers but additionally the intermediaries accountable for facilitating the promotion of actions prohibited underneath the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gaming and Regulation of Online Games Act.

“We will be sending out notices to social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook for allowing advertisements of illegal betting and gambling platforms,” a senior TNOGA official mentioned on the situation of anonymity. “The number of advertisements has drastically increased since the law on banning real money gaming was passed in August.”

The official added that TNOGA may even tighten its give attention to influencers and content material creators who’re discovered selling or endorsing these platforms. “We will be taking strict action against influencers and creators for promoting and posting about online betting and gambling platforms. We are also conducting social awareness campaigns in the state to make people aware of the ills of online money gaming,” the official mentioned.

The state’s robust stance comes amid a pointy rise in gambling-related ads on main social media platforms following the clearance of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 within the Parliament. Industry observers word that the ban on real-money gaming in India has inadvertently pushed the market additional into the arms of offshore operators, who’ve taken benefit of digital promoting networks to aggressively goal Indian customers.

Platforms like Instagram and Facebook have change into the popular advertising and marketing automobiles for these firms, providing broad attain and exact viewers focusing on. TNOGA believes that regardless of repeated advisories and current restrictions, tech giants have did not implement sturdy mechanisms to stop unlawful ads from slipping by.

Surrogate Ads in Sports and Celebrity Endorsements

The regulatory sweep has additionally prolonged to sports activities sponsorships and surrogate promoting, which TNOGA says are getting used as backdoor entry factors for unlawful platforms. Several Tamil Nadu Premier League groups—together with Trichy Grand Cholas (sponsored by FOMO7), Chepauk Super Gillies (Melbat), Lyca Kovai Kings (1xBat), and Nellai Royal Kings (Dafa News)—have been flagged for associating with gambling-linked manufacturers. TNOGA has described such promotions as “prima facie objectionable” underneath the state’s gaming legislation.

The downside is compounded by the rise of AI-generated pretend celeb endorsements, that includes well-known Indian movie stars and sports activities icons urging customers to enroll in offshore betting apps. These slickly produced adverts are sometimes indistinguishable from authentic campaigns, making it tough for common customers to determine their fraudulent nature.

Aggressive Offshore Marketing Tactics

The scale of promotions by unlawful operators is staggering. In the times following the ban, platforms like JackBit, 1xBet, Parimatch, Odds96, and 4RaBet launched a blitz of digital advertising and marketing campaigns providing unprecedented incentives. JackBit, as an illustration, rolled out a 500 % deposit bonus for investments as little as ₹35. 1xBet dangled a 120 % first-deposit bonus of as much as ₹33,000.

Parimatch marketed 100–150 % reductions, Odds96 supplied ₹150 in free credit for sign-ups, and 4RaBet topped all of them with a 700 % low cost throughout its portfolio of video games—together with chance-based titles comparable to Aviator, JetX, Chicken Road, and Astronaut—lots of that are unlawful underneath Indian legislation.

To assist its enforcement drive, TNOGA has acquired 1000’s of flagged hyperlinks from the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) for verification and blocking. ASCI has been actively monitoring violations and coordinating with state authorities to determine promoting networks and publishers facilitating the dissemination of unlawful betting content material.

The TNOGA crackdown represents a big regulatory check for Meta, Google, and different intermediaries, that are more and more being held accountable for dangerous content material on their platforms in India. While each firms have beforehand said that they adjust to native legal guidelines and have promoting evaluation mechanisms in place, TNOGA’s notices are anticipated to demand stricter compliance and swift takedowns of unlawful adverts.

As the state steps up enforcement, the highlight is shifting squarely onto Big Tech’s position in India’s digital playing ecosystem. For TNOGA, the marketing campaign isn’t just about blocking adverts—it’s about sending a message that enabling unlawful betting promotions, whether or not actively or passively, is not going to go unchecked.