Prohibit tobacco, alcohol ads & sales at IPL venues: Centre tells BCCI

The Ministry of Health has reportedly asked BCCI to put a complete ban on tobacco, alcohol ads, surrogate promotions, and sales at stadiums, events, and broadcasts, citing public health concerns ahead

The Ministry of Health has urged the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to prohibit all forms of tobacco and alcohol advertising, including surrogate promotions, across stadiums, related events, and national television broadcasts, Bloomberg reported.

 

In a letter dated March 5, addressed to IPL chairman Arun Singh Dhumal and the BCCI, Director General of Health Services Atul Goel also called for banning the sale of tobacco and alcohol products at all IPL-affiliated events and sports venues.

 

The letter further advised sports authorities to discourage players, commentators, and other stakeholders from endorsing products linked to tobacco and alcohol, either directly or indirectly, the news report said.

 

 

The report quoted Goel as saying that cricketers serve as role models for young fans and that the IPL, being the country's largest sports platform, carries a social and moral responsibility to support public health initiatives.  

 

He highlighted India’s growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular ailments, cancer, chronic lung disease, diabetes, and hypertension, which collectively account for over 70 per cent of annual deaths.  

 

Tobacco and alcohol consumption are major contributors to NCDs. India ranks second in global tobacco-related deaths, with nearly 1.4 million fatalities annually, while alcohol remains the most widely used psychoactive substance in the country, he said, as quoted by the news report.

 

With the upcoming IPL season set to begin on March 22, Goel stressed the need for strict enforcement of regulations to prevent tobacco and alcohol advertisements.

 

India's alco-bev industry

 

India ranks as the third-largest alcohol-beverage market globally in terms of volume, following China and the United States. According to CNBC, the alco-bev market is expected to expand from Rs 1.7 trillion in FY15 to Rs 5 trillion by FY28. Statista estimates that revenue from India's tobacco products market will reach $14.0 billion in 2025, with a projected annual growth rate of 4.30 per cent (CAGR 2025-2029).  

 

Although alcohol and tobacco advertising accounts for less than 2 per cent of India’s overall ad spend, these industries invest heavily in high-profile events like the IPL. However, with tighter regulations being introduced, companies may scale back advertising for brand extensions by 20-30 per cent, a report by Financial Express said.

 

As part of its broader anti-tobacco initiative, the government has also proposed new regulations to strengthen messaging on online curated content (OCC) platforms, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. These draft rules mandate that OCC platforms display non-skippable anti-tobacco health spots, each lasting at least 30 seconds, at the beginning and midpoint of any content featuring tobacco use, the report said.