The Centre on Monday said TV channels, digital news publishers and over-the-top platforms that show offshore online betting sites advertisements could invite penal action.

It added that betting and gambling are illegal in India and thus their advertisements cannot be aired on television channels or shown on digital media.

This is the second warning issued since June 13, The Indian Express reported.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said that online offshore betting platforms were seemingly promoting betting and gambling under the garb of news through surrogate advertising.

Surrogate advertising is used to promote regulated items, like cigarettes and alcohol, in the disguise of another product.

In its advisory, the government named offshore betting platforms such as Fairplay, PariMatch, Betway, Wolf 777, and 1xBet.

The ministry said that some of the betting platforms even had logos that were strikingly similar to the news websites.

“The concerned betting platforms and the corresponding news websites are also not registered with any legal authority under Indian laws,” the ministry’s advisory said.

It was also noted that some online betting platforms have been advertising themselves as professional sports blogs and sports news websites. The ministry added that the Department of Consumer Affairs was also informed about these illegal platforms.