ASCI flags offshore betting as top violative sector in FY26 complaints report

MUMBAI: India’s advertising watchdog appears to have its hands full, and offshore betting is once again rolling the dice with regulation. According to the latest annual complaints report released by the Advertising Standards Council of India, offshore betting emerged as the most violative advertising category in FY26, accounting for a staggering 6,933 cases. The sector topped a list that also included real estate, personal care, food and beverages, and products violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act.

The report paints a picture of an advertising ecosystem increasingly shaped by speed, digital amplification and aggressive consumer targeting.

In total, Advertising Standards Council of India reviewed 11,581 complaints and cases during FY2025-26, marking a 21 per cent increase over the previous year. These cases involved 9,841 advertisements, up 37 per cent year-on-year, with nearly 98 per cent requiring some form of modification.

Notably, 93 per cent of the cases were identified through ASCI’s own proactive monitoring systems rather than public complaints, highlighting how self-regulatory surveillance is becoming central to advertising oversight.

Digital media dominated the violations landscape, accounting for 97.3 per cent of all advertisements scrutinised. Sponsored social media content alone contributed 82 per cent of those violations, while platforms owned by Meta accounted for nearly 80 per cent of digital ad breaches flagged during the year.

The watchdog noted that the scale and speed of digital ecosystems are enabling the spread of misleading, harmful and legally questionable promotions faster than traditional monitoring methods can keep up with.

Among the total violations, 75.4 per cent involved ads promoting harmful products or unsafe situations, while 27.5 per cent were linked to misleading claims.

The offshore betting ecosystem remained a major area of concern due to what the report described as rapid ad creation, cross-platform circulation and high-volume influencer amplification. Advertisements linked to offshore betting were widely distributed through affiliate networks, influencers, social media groups and messaging platforms, making enforcement increasingly complex.

Between April and December 2025 alone, ASCI identified 854 influencer violations connected to offshore betting content, including accounts entirely dedicated to promoting such platforms.

Influencer marketing more broadly also came under scrutiny. Of the 1,609 influencer advertisements reviewed during the financial year, 97.3 per cent required modification, with more than half linked to categories where advertising is prohibited or heavily restricted.

Illegal betting accounted for 54 per cent of influencer-related violations, followed by personal care, electronics, food and beverages, and fashion and lifestyle.

The report also highlighted widespread misuse of exaggerated claims in the beauty, wellness and nutrition sectors.

In personal care advertising, ASCI repeatedly encountered unsupported promises around instant skin transformation, rapid hair growth and guaranteed results. Other common issues included pseudo-scientific precision claims, unrealistic timelines and broad “natural” or “safe” positioning without adequate substantiation.

Meanwhile, food and beverage advertising drew scrutiny for questionable health-related claims involving metabolism, fertility, chronic disease management and child development. ASCI specifically pointed to the fast-growing nutraceutical category, where products classified legally as food are often marketed using quasi-medical or therapeutic language.

Nutraceuticals accounted for 52 per cent of all food and beverage cases reviewed, with 96 per cent of those ads requiring modification.

Despite the surge in violations, the report noted improving industry cooperation. Overall voluntary compliance rose from 83 per cent to 86 per cent, while television and print showed particularly high adherence rates at 97 per cent.

In fact, 61 per cent of reviewed advertisements were modified or withdrawn without challenge once advertisers were notified.

Speaking on the findings, Advertising Standards Council of India chairman Sudhanshu Vats said the advertising ecosystem is increasingly being shaped by “intense competition, speed and digital amplification”.

He added that exaggerated claims, manufactured scientific credibility and influencer-led promotions are becoming more common, creating an urgent need for stronger accountability and preventive governance measures in digital advertising.

Meanwhile, Advertising Standards Council of India CEO and secretary general Manisha Kapoor said ASCI’s proactive monitoring systems are helping consumer protection efforts operate at a much larger scale.

She also highlighted collaborations with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Telangana Real Estate Regulatory Authority as examples of how coordinated action between regulators and industry bodies can strengthen oversight and consumer trust.

Established in 1985, ASCI continues to work alongside bodies such as the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of AYUSH and Real Estate Regulatory Authority of Maharashtra to regulate advertising standards across media platforms.

As digital advertising grows faster, smarter and more difficult to police, ASCI’s latest report suggests the line between marketing creativity and consumer risk is becoming increasingly thin.