India: Telangana removes gambling app ads from public spaces

State authorities have removed advertisements for all types of betting and gambling apps.

India.- The state of Telangana became the first state in India to ban all forms of gambling back in 2017. It’s now taken the step of removing all advertisements of betting and gambling apps from public spaces in order to tackle the presence of illegal operators. 

The news was confirmed via Twitter by the Director Of Enforcement, Vigilance & Disaster Management, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.

According to G2G News, the Hyderabad Police charged the management of Lotus365 and an ad agency in January for placing gambling adverts on TSRTC bus shelters. However, key personnel at Lotus365 operate from outside India, making it difficult for local authorities to pursue them. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) sent notices to celebrities endorsing Lotus365 on social media platforms.

In 2022, the Telangana government thought of re-allowing gambling. However, there was no further progress.