Bengaluru: Galactus Funware Technology, the Bengaluru-headquartered parent of Mobile Premier League (MPL), has initiated legal action against the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), seeking ₹50 crore in damages for what it alleges is a defamatory and misleading whitepaper published by the self-regulatory body.
At the heart of the dispute is ASCI’s May 2025 report titled “Examining Opinion Trading in India,” which scrutinizes emerging formats of real-money gaming—particularly those based on predicting real-world outcomes, also known as “opinion trading.” The whitepaper raised concerns about such platforms bearing risk elements akin to gambling, a characterization Galactus Funware strongly rejects.
The company has issued an 11-page legal notice dated May 23 through law firm Trilegal, demanding ASCI take down the whitepaper from public access within three days. Failure to comply, it warns, will invite both civil and criminal proceedings along with daily compensation for continued damage to reputation.
According to Galactus Funware, ASCI’s whitepaper relies on allegedly doctored and contextually misrepresented visuals of MPL advertisements. The company contends that key disclaimers were intentionally cropped out and that an educational still from YouTube—emphasizing “Skill, Interest, Knowledge”—was edited to falsely imply a financial risk angle.
In its notice, the company challenges ASCI’s jurisdiction to determine the legal status or skill-based nature of opinion-trading games, pointing out that such issues are sub judice. Several related cases are pending before high courts, and the Supreme Court has stayed further proceedings—rendering any conclusions by ASCI “premature and beyond its remit,” the notice states.
ASCI, in response, acknowledged receipt of the notice but maintained its position. A spokesperson said, “There is absolutely no question of tampering with the advertising content analyzed in our study.”
Opinion trading continues to face regulatory scrutiny in India, with consumer protection advocates expressing concern over the potential financial risk to users. While the sector is still evolving, the legal showdown between one of its most prominent players and the country’s advertising watchdog signals growing friction over the definition and governance of skill-based gaming.
