WhatsApp has updated its business messaging policy to allow companies in regulated sectors, such as online gambling and over-the-counter drugs, to use the WhatsApp Business platform for promotional messaging in India. It should be noted here that in the case of India, only real-money gaming is allowed under the new rules of promotional messages - gambling remains a strict no-go. As reported by Moneycontrol, this change is part of Meta's broader strategy to increase monetisation of WhatsApp, which has become the world's most popular messaging app with over 2 billion daily active users globally, and India being its largest market with over 500 million users.
This new policy represents a significant shift as it opens the platform to certain restricted sectors, including alcohol in select countries. However, in India, promotional messages related to alcohol remain prohibited.
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Meta's Strict Policies Still In Place
Despite the policy update, businesses in these regulated sectors must adhere to Meta’s stringent Commerce policy, which prohibits them from using the WhatsApp Business app for direct sales or commerce experiences. Instead, the WhatsApp Business app continues to cater to small businesses, while the WhatsApp Business platform is designed for medium to large enterprises.
Businesses utilising the platform must ensure compliance with legal age restrictions, geographic limitations, and regulatory standards. They are also barred from sending messages to individuals under 18 years old. In regions where activities like gambling or games of chance are prohibited, businesses must ensure their messaging complies with local laws.
Additional Steps For Real-Money Gaming Companies
For companies in the real-money gaming sector, additional steps are required. These businesses must apply to Meta, providing proof that their operations are legally sanctioned by regulators or are otherwise lawful in the target country.
This policy update follows a series of changes Meta has made to its WhatsApp Business offerings over the past year, as business messaging becomes increasingly vital to its revenue diversification strategy beyond traditional digital advertising.
As reported by Moneycontrol, last year, WhatsApp introduced new conversation categories — Utility, Authentication, Marketing, and Service — and revised its pricing model to charge businesses based on these categories. More recently, the company introduced a higher-priced 'authentication-international' category for international one-time passwords (OTPs) and announced upcoming changes in pricing for marketing and utility conversations, effective August 1, 2024, and October 1, 2024, respectively.