Offshore betting and real estate sectors have emerged as the most violative in the Advertising Standards Council of India’s (ASCI) Annual Complaints Report 2024–25, released recently. ASCI scrutinised 7,199 ads after receiving 9,599 complaints, with 98% of ads requiring modifications. Notably, 43% of the violations stemmed from illegal offshore betting promotions, followed by realty at 24.9%.
The report highlights a sharp 83.5% increase in public complaints, indicating rising consumer awareness. Influencer marketing continues to be a grey area, with 1,015 ads investigated—98% of which needed corrections. ASCI also flagged 121 undisclosed paid posts on LinkedIn, prompting a targeted advisory. Categories banned by law accounted for 3,347 ads, including 3,081 related to offshore betting and 233 ads breaching the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act.
ASCI noted significant improvements in its efficiency, reducing complaint resolution time by 46% to an average of 16 days. Compliance remained strong, with print and TV platforms achieving 98% adherence. In Kolkata, stakeholders in digital and real estate advertising have been urged to reassess their campaigns in light of ASCI’s findings. Regional influencers and local developers are being encouraged to ensure full compliance to avoid penalties and build consumer trust. ASCI Chairman Partha Sinha reaffirmed, “In the chaos of the digital bazaar, our job is to keep one stall honest.”
