Chennai: For the first time, the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority (TNOGA) has initiated legal action against half-a-dozen YouTubers, Instagram influencers, and a private firm for promoting online betting and gambling.
In their videos, these social media personalities, while primarily vlogging about food and cinema, subtly endorsed offshore fantasy games, poker, and rummy platforms, enticing users with promises of cash rewards up to 10 lakh per day for deposits as low as 100 to 1,000 per hour.
Showcause notices were issued to all of them, questioning why their access should not be blocked in Tamil Nadu. Unsatisfied with their responses, TNOGA has initiated legal proceedings at the Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Saidapet, according to a TNOGA member. If convicted under the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Act, they could face fines ranging from 5 lakh to 10 lakh and up to three years in prison.
Govt sources revealed that some film celebrities, previously involved in promoting online betting and gambling via social media, are also under the scanner. Some of these celebrities posted promotional content as Instagram stories, visible for only 24 hours, in exchange for fees from offshore apps.
Given the large following of these influencers, especially among children, swift action was deemed necessary. Additionally, a private firm has been pulled up for advertising betting apps through stickers on taxis in Chennai.
Notices were also sent to two other online gaming platforms for failing to provide necessary registration details. If their replies are unsatisfactory or are not provided, legal cases will be filed against them as well, said a TNOGA member. Currently, eight gaming entities are registered in Tamil Nadu.
TNOGA, operational since last year, studied regulatory models from countries such as the UAE and the UK and recommended guidelines to oversee the online gaming sector. Its proposals include a ban on gaming between midnight and 5am, a limit of two consecutive hours of gameplay, and a daily deposit cap of 5,000 on gaming apps.
Chennai: For the first time, the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority (TNOGA) has initiated legal action against half-a-dozen YouTubers, Instagram influencers, and a private firm for promoting online betting and gambling.
In their videos, these social media personalities, while primarily vlogging about food and cinema, subtly endorsed offshore fantasy games, poker, and rummy platforms, enticing users with promises of cash rewards up to 10 lakh per day for deposits as low as 100 to 1,000 per hour.
Showcause notices were issued to all of them, questioning why their access should not be blocked in Tamil Nadu. Unsatisfied with their responses, TNOGA has initiated legal proceedings at the Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Saidapet, according to a TNOGA member. If convicted under the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Act, they could face fines ranging from 5 lakh to 10 lakh and up to three years in prison.
Govt sources revealed that some film celebrities, previously involved in promoting online betting and gambling via social media, are also under the scanner. Some of these celebrities posted promotional content as Instagram stories, visible for only 24 hours, in exchange for fees from offshore apps.
Given the large following of these influencers, especially among children, swift action was deemed necessary. Additionally, a private firm has been pulled up for advertising betting apps through stickers on taxis in Chennai.
Notices were also sent to two other online gaming platforms for failing to provide necessary registration details. If their replies are unsatisfactory or are not provided, legal cases will be filed against them as well, said a TNOGA member. Currently, eight gaming entities are registered in Tamil Nadu.
TNOGA, operational since last year, studied regulatory models from countries such as the UAE and the UK and recommended guidelines to oversee the online gaming sector. Its proposals include a ban on gaming between midnight and 5am, a limit of two consecutive hours of gameplay, and a daily deposit cap of 5,000 on gaming apps.