Model clones, money bonuses: Actual Cash Gaming corporations elevate alarm over offshore betting Advertisements on social media

The highlight is as soon as once more on social media platforms as offshore playing operators ramp up digital commercials focusing on Indian customers, typically by misusing the logos and model identities of compliant home gaming firms as Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 stays unnotified.

Over the previous few months, offshore playing operators have stepped up digital promoting campaigns on Instagram, Telegram, YouTube and different platforms, typically impersonating well-known Indian gaming manufacturers to divert customers to foreign-hosted betting web sites. The technique depends on model confusion and aggressive advertising at a time when a number of home actual cash gaming platforms have suspended paid codecs and are awaiting formal notification of the regulation.

Recent advisories by main platforms underscore the development. In one such public discover, Dream11 warned customers about “fraudulent third party brands impersonating Dream11 through their products, ads and posts on social media platforms to deceive users,” urging them to not share monetary info and to report suspicious exercise. The firm additionally reiterated that it had discontinued all paid fantasy sports activities contests consistent with regulatory developments.

Similarly, Probo, an opinion buying and selling platform, posted an advisory cautioning customers in opposition to claims that “Probo is back,” clarifying that it stays shut for operations and warning customers to not fall for scams.

These advisories come amid rising concern that rogue offshore betting operators are exploiting model recall and person confusion to divert site visitors to foreign-hosted playing websites comparable to Predik, 1xBet, Parimatch, Aviator amongst others lots of that are past the speedy attain of Indian enforcement businesses.

In apply, business observers say the commercials typically observe a sample, sponsored Instagram posts claiming {that a} well-liked Indian fantasy sports activities app has “resumed cash contests” with limited-time bonuses, redirecting customers to a lookalike web site hosted abroad.

While Telegram teams have popped up utilizing names and logos much like well-known Indian platforms, providing “VIP betting tips” and hyperlinks to overseas sportsbooks. While influencer reels selling “legal opinion trading” apps that, upon obtain, route customers to offshore betting exchanges.

Alongwith affiliate-driven adverts promising “tax-free betting” and prompt withdrawals, typically utilizing doctored screenshots of reputable app interfaces, celebrities and high authorities ministers. In many circumstances, the model names and logos of home operators are misused, creating confusion amongst customers who could not distinguish between a compliant Indian entity and an offshore clone.

A regulatory vacuum and offshore surge

Legal specialists argue that the state of affairs has been exacerbated by the truth that whereas PROGA,2025 was handed to control the sector, it has not but been formally notified or introduced into power.

Jay Sayta, Technology & Gaming Lawyer, stated reputable actual cash gaming platforms whose mental property rights are being misused by rogue offshore playing operators might search injunctions from Indian courts, leading to takedown orders for such apps, web sites and social media pages.

“It is now well documented that the passage of PROGA has resulted in shutdown of legitimate local skill-based operators but a manifold proliferation of offshore betting sites. The irony is that although domestic companies have shut operation, since PROGA has not been brought into force till date, offshore betting websites cannot be investigated, prosecuted and brought to book under the new law thereby emboldening them,” Sayta stated.

The absence of a notified framework, specialists contend, has created a regulatory gray zone — one wherein home platforms err on the facet of compliance whereas offshore entities aggressively goal Indian shoppers by digital advertising campaigns.

The social media promoting maze

Aurelia Menezes, Partner at King Stubb & Kasiva, Advocates and Attorneys, pointed to the middleman legal responsibility query. “Social media platforms may be held accountable for advertisements that direct users to illegal gambling and betting websites if they fail to exercise the due diligence required of intermediaries under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.”

“While platforms generally enjoy safe harbour protection, such protection is conditional upon acting responsibly once they gain knowledge of unlawful content. If misleading or illegal gambling advertisements continue to run, or are not removed after being reported, questions arise about whether platforms are indirectly facilitating unlawful betting activities and misleading users,” Menezes stated.

Experts argue that within the absence of a complete and operational regulatory regime, unregulated offshore platforms have been capable of broaden their attain, appeal to important person site visitors and divert consideration away from reputable actual cash gaming firms. They add that home operators should actively monitor the misuse of their logos in digital commercials, provoke authorized motion in circumstances of impersonation or passing off, and promptly report fraudulent content material to promoting networks and social media platforms. Consumer consciousness, they word, will likely be equally important in stopping customers from being misled by misleading claims that exploit trusted model names.

Until PROGA is formally introduced into power and backed by clear enforcement mechanisms, the imbalance is prone to persist. Compliant Indian gaming firms stay constrained by regulatory ambiguity, whereas offshore betting web sites proceed to use the digital promoting ecosystem to courtroom Indian customers, blurring the traces between reputable gaming and illegal playing within the course of.

First Published on March 5, 2026, 14:08:17 IST