Meta-owned platforms accounted for nearly 80% of digital advertising violations flagged by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) in FY26, as offshore betting and real estate emerged as the country’s most violative advertising sectors.

According to ASCI’s Annual Complaints Report 2025-26, the self-regulatory body reviewed 11,581 cases during the financial year, a 21% increase from the previous year. The cases related to 9,841 advertisements, up 37% year-on-year, with 98% of the ads requiring some form of modification.

The report showed that digital media remained the dominant source of violations, accounting for 97.3% of the advertisements scrutinised by ASCI. Sponsored content on social media platforms made up 82% of these digital cases, while Meta platforms alone contributed 79.84% of digital violations.

Offshore betting dominates violations

Offshore betting emerged as the single largest violative category, accounting for 6,933 cases during FY26. ASCI said the category continued to pose regulatory and consumer protection concerns despite interventions and tighter monitoring mechanisms.

The report stated that offshore betting ads were widely circulated through influencers, affiliate networks, messaging groups and social media platforms, making enforcement difficult due to rapid content churn and cross-platform distribution.

ASCI said it identified 854 influencer violations linked to offshore betting between April and December 2025, including accounts fully dedicated to betting-related content.

The report also noted that betting operators continued to advertise aggressively even after the implementation of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025. According to ASCI’s analysis, violative offshore betting advertisements rose from an average of 594 ads per month before the law to 795 ads per month after its implementation.

The watchdog said sponsored advertisements on Meta platforms remained a significant concern even after regulatory action.

Realty, personal care among top violative sectors

Real estate ranked as the second-most violative category with 643 cases, followed by personal care with 576 cases and food and beverages with 331 cases.

ASCI said it flagged 629 real estate advertisements in Telangana between November 2025 and March 2026 under its partnership with the Telangana Real Estate Regulatory Authority. The ads were found lacking mandatory disclosures such as project registration details, website addresses and statutory approvals.

The report added that several real estate advertisements also carried exaggerated claims related to leadership positioning, trust, rental returns and sustainability messaging.

In the personal care category, ASCI observed repeated use of exaggerated efficacy claims, including promises around rapid hair growth, skin transformation and guaranteed results within unrealistic timelines.

The report also highlighted the growing use of unsupported scientific-sounding claims such as “11.7x stronger hair” and “220% plaque reduction”, along with vague positioning around products being “natural”, “safe” or “chemical-free”.

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Nutraceuticals dominate food and beverage violations

Within food and beverage advertising, nutraceuticals accounted for the largest share of violations, contributing to 52% of cases in the segment. ASCI said 96% of nutraceutical-related ads required modification.

The watchdog flagged misleading claims around metabolic health, disease reversal, child development, fertility and organ function. The report also identified promotions of “drinkable sunscreen” products claiming to provide continuous sun protection through oral consumption.

ASCI said several weight-loss advertisements made physiologically unlikely claims, including drastic reductions in body weight without diet or exercise.

The report also pointed to advertisements exploiting parental anxieties through claims related to children’s height growth and brain development without sufficient clinical evidence.

Influencer advertising under scrutiny

Influencer-led advertising continued to remain a major area of concern during FY26. ASCI processed 1,609 influencer advertisements during the year, with 97.3% requiring modification.

More than half of the influencer-related violations involved categories where advertising is prohibited or restricted by law, including betting and alcohol-related promotions.

Illegal betting alone accounted for 54% of influencer violations, followed by personal care, electronics and consumer durables, food and beverages, and fashion and lifestyle categories.

ASCI said compliance gaps persisted despite existing influencer advertising guidelines and increasing awareness across the creator ecosystem.

The report also highlighted instances during the iPhone 17 launch and Black Friday sales campaigns where a majority of influencer posts reviewed were found non-compliant before being corrected after ASCI intervention.

Harmful ads dominate complaints

ASCI said 75.4% of violative advertisements promoted harmful products or situations, while 27.5% involved misleading claims. Only a small fraction of complaints related to offensive content or unfair competition practices.

The watchdog added that 61% of reviewed ads were modified or withdrawn without contest after advertisers were notified.

Overall voluntary compliance improved to 86% during FY26, compared to 83% in the previous year. Television and print recorded compliance levels of 97%.

Sudhanshu Vats, Chairman, ASCI, said the findings reflected a digital advertising ecosystem shaped by “intense competition, speed and digital amplification”.

“The report’s findings underline the urgent need for stronger accountability, better substantiation standards, responsible influencer practices and preventive approaches to governance in digital advertising,” Vats said.

Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General, ASCI, said the organisation’s proactive monitoring systems had enabled it to identify violations at scale.

She added that collaborations with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Telangana Real Estate Regulatory Authority had strengthened efforts to curb misleading advertising and improve consumer protection.

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First Published on May 28, 2026, 09:49:38 IST