Actor Vijay Deverakonda's team has addressed the FIR lodged against him by the Telangana police, which accuses him of promoting a betting application. In a press release, they asserted that he has only endorsed online skill-based games that are legally authorized, and not any form of illegal betting.

Vijay Deverakonda’s team responds to FIR

Vijay's team asserts that the actor served as the brand ambassador for the company for a limited duration, exclusively endorsing legal games. They stated, "We wish to inform the public and all relevant parties that Mr. Vijay Deverakonda entered into a contract with the company solely for the limited purpose of acting as a brand ambassador for skill-based games. His endorsement was strictly limited to areas where online skill-based games are legally authorized."

Additionally, they highlighted that the Supreme Court has affirmed that online games like rummy are based on skill rather than chance. They emphasized, "It is crucial to clarify that skill-based games, including online games such as rummy, have consistently been recognized by the Honourable Supreme Court of India as separate from gambling or gaming. The court has confirmed that these games involve skill rather than chance, thus making them legally acceptable."

Vijay's legal team reportedly reviewed his contract before his endorsement to ensure compliance with legal standards. "Mr. Vijay Deverakonda’s legal team and associated agencies meticulously examine all partnerships before finalizing any agreements. Following a comprehensive legal assessment, he agreed to endorse the skill-based gaming platform A23, ensuring that his involvement adhered to legal requirements. However, his endorsement period concluded in 2023, and he is no longer affiliated with the brand."

They concluded their statement by clarifying that it was issued to dispel any misunderstandings or misinformation, asserting that Vijay's endorsement was both "legally recognized" and "lawful."

What happened

On Wednesday, a legal case was filed against actors Vijay, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Lakshmi Manchu, Pranitha, Nidhhi Agerwal, and various social media influencers for their alleged promotion of betting applications. As reported by PTI, a businessman lodged a complaint claiming that these individuals were endorsing betting apps on social media through pop-up advertisements and other methods.

The police indicated that, in response to the complaint, a case was registered on March 19 under applicable sections of the BNS, the Gaming Act, and the IT Act. The investigation is currently ongoing. The Telangana Gaming Act of 2017 prohibits all forms of online betting, and the police are preparing to issue notices to those mentioned in the FIR.

In the meantime, sources within the Telugu film industry have stated that they intend to guide the Movie Artistes Association (MAA) regarding this matter. Once more information becomes available, the industry organization plans to inform its members about ethical advertising practices, according to the sources.

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