Mumbai: Offshore betting advertisements targeting Indian consumers continue to proliferate months after the country prohibited online money games and their advertising, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has said. Violative betting advertisements increased even after the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA) came into force, the self-regulatory body of advertising industry said in its annual complaints report.In the eight months before the PROGA was passed in August last year, offshore betting advertisements averaged 594 a month. In the four months after that, the number rose to 795 a month, the report said.Also read | Delhi HC upholds TRAI’s 12-minute ad cap, dismisses TV broadcasters’ petitionsASCI identified and escalated 7,927 offshore betting advertisements during 2025, including 6,933 ads monitored between April and December and flagged in FY26. Offshore betting accounted for 72.14% of ads found in violation during year, making it single biggest concern.Other major violative categories, as per ASCI's complaints report, included real estate, personal care, food and beverages, drugs (DMR violations), electronics and consumer durables, clinics and hospitals, and traditional education. "The risks to consumer trust and safety are becoming more complex and widespread," ASCI chairman Sudhanshu Vats said, pointing to broader challenges in digital advertising.Also read | In FY26, 97% of violative ads were on digital platforms, 4/5ths of them on Meta: AsciThe findings come amid a sharp rise in overall advertising scrutiny. ASCI examined 11,581 cases during April 2025-March 2026, a 21% increase from the previous year, while advertisements scrutinised for potential violations rose 37% to 9,841. About 93% of these cases stemmed from proactive monitoring systems, while digital media accounted for 97.3% of all violations. Sponsored advertisements on social media platforms made up 82% of digital violations.Under PROGA, all ads of online money games, including informational and disclaimer-based advertisements, is prohibited.