Bhopal News: Content Creator Labs May Fuel Risky Promotions By 6x, Madhya Pradesh Influencers Flag Of Monopoly And Legal Pitfalls

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Union Budget’s push to develop talent in the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sector has sparked a parallel debate in Madhya Pradesh’s creator economy.

The influencers have warned that training-focused content creator labs without strong market linkages and regulation could inadvertently boost promotions of alcohol and illegal betting brands by up to six times.

During her Budget speech on Sunday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced support for the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), Mumbai, to set up AVGC Content Creator Labs in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges.

The AVGC sector is projected to require nearly two million professionals by 2030, positioning the initiative as a major boost to India’s “orange economy.”

An influencer from Rewa, with over three lakh followers, told Free Press on condition of anonymity that he promotes illegal betting apps because “they pay easy money.”

Another creator from Shahdol expressed concern that the proposed labs could create a monopoly, where select schools and colleges corner premium brand deals, leaving independent creators sidelined.

Easy money, higher risks

Market experts say alcohol brands and betting apps often pay five to six times more than legitimate consumer brands. This disparity is pushing many creators especially from tier-2 and tier-3 cities to prioritize revenue over responsibility. Madhya Pradesh alone has over 2,000 active influencers and around 5,000 content creators, with the social media marketing industry valued at more than Rs 500 crore.

Growing influence on youth

The trend of alcohol promotion on social media has risen sharply in cities like Bhopal and Indore. Influencers frequently portray alcohol as part of a stylish lifestyle through reels and posts often without health warnings or age restrictions raising concerns about their impact on young followers. Popular local pages and club-bar accounts continue to promote new drinks, offers, and party nights to lakhs of followers.

Creators seek balanced growth

Top MP content creator Prabhat Poddar, who has over five lakh Instagram followers, welcomed the government’s initiative but flagged drawbacks. “It’s a good step to boost the orange economy, but unorganised brand deals are a problem. Most creators here struggle for fixed income, so when illegal betting or alcohol promotions offer quick money, many accept,” he said.