Uzbek Competition Body Finds 6,000 Ad Violations

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan's Competition Committee conducted more than 13,500 advertising inspections in the first half of 2026, identifying nearly 6,000 violations of national legislation, the committee reported.

Monitoring revealed cases of illegal advertising involving prohibited goods, gambling, and bookmaker services. The committee examined over 18,000 ad materials in total, issuing non-compliance conclusions for 25% of them. In response, statutory enforcement measures were applied against 83 entities to rectify identified violations.

Authorities inspected 545 ad materials for medicines and dietary supplements, identifying 51 cases of non-compliance. Another 250 reviews targeted prohibited goods, uncovering 54 violations linked to tobacco, alcohol, electronic cigarettes, and beer.

A separate monitoring push focused on totalizator and bookmaker promotions. Out of 165 checks, 82 instances of illegal gambling ads were documented. The committee requested action against 76 websites promoting gambling and risk-based games, leading to the blocking of more than 50 platforms.

In social media, specialists identified three high-reach bloggers posting staged videos promoting gambling and bookmakers. Administrative offense protocols were filed against them. The committee cited the viral promotion of gambling under the Melbet brand on social media as an example, noting that individuals involved faced administrative charges and court proceedings.

The monitoring also revealed improper ads for medicines and medical devices. According to expert findings from authorized state bodies, certain manufacturers and sellers used forms, expressions, and imagery that violated national and family traditions, as well as accepted norms of morality and spirituality. To protect consumer rights, the committee secured over 30 expert conclusions from the Ministry of Health, resolving issues in more than 20 cases before penalizing offenders.

Additionally, the committee issued about 10,000 warnings and official requests in 2026 to mass media outlets, administrators of Telegram channels, ".Uz" domain websites, ad agencies, advertisers, manufacturers, and distributors. The regulator said it is continuing to monitor the advertising market and protect consumer rights.