The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has flagged offshore betting and realty as the most violative sectors in its Annual Complaints Report 2024–25. Of the 7,199 ads scrutinised following 9,599 complaints, a staggering 98% required modifications. Offshore betting alone accounted for 43% of the cases, while realty contributed 24.9%. The personal care, healthcare, and food & beverage sectors followed with smaller shares.
Notably, 3,347 ads fell under categories prohibited by Indian law—this included 3,081 from illegal offshore betting platforms and 233 potentially violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act. ASCI also processed 1,015 influencer ads, with 98% found non-compliant. LinkedIn saw 121 violations, prompting a targeted advisory. Public complaints surged 83.5% from last year, reflecting increased consumer awareness.
ASCI also reported a 46% drop in complaint turnaround time, now averaging just 16 days, supported by swift advertiser compliance—59% of whom modified or withdrew ads without contest. In Kolkata , stakeholders in real estate and influencer promotions are under scrutiny, with ASCI’s findings triggering calls for stricter self-regulation. Local advertisers are being urged to align with compliance standards to maintain credibility in an increasingly aware digital economy.
