A green, muscle-bound AI Hulk, speaking in desi slang and calling himself Hulku, started as a humorous internet meme. It has become one of the most recognizable short-video trends in India. Users also encounter Spider-Man making rotis, Iron Man commenting on civic matters, and Hulk dancing to Punjabi beats. These videos appear on Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.
Storyboard 18 states that industry observers report the trend now funnels traffic to illegal gambling platforms. Videos usually embed links or indirect prompts in captions, comments, or profile bios. They function as covert advertising for offshore betting services while the clips mimic familiar viral formats.
Technology and gaming lawyer Jay Sayta said it is highly concerning that people are misusing fictional characters and superheroes to create fake AI-based illegal gambling promotions. He added that producing AI-generated ads to promote illegal gambling can lead to legal action under state gaming laws and, once in force, under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025.
He also said that the intellectual property rights holders of these characters—such as Marvel, Warner Bros, and the Walt Disney Company—can take action against those using them in promotions. This action can include claiming damages, pursuing criminal prosecution, and requesting the takedown of such content.
Existing Indian laws give numerous avenues to hold offenders accountable even without AI-specific legislation. Current frameworks, including the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the IT Act, 2000, intermediary rules, as well as advertising guidelines, collectively restricts misleading or unlawful promotions by digital platforms. Whether delivered by AI avatars or fictional characters, surrogate endorsements are treated as the responsibility of the humans behind them.
Regional languages, as well as culturally familiar superheroes amplify the reach and impact of these campaigns. Liability falls on the creators, promoters, platforms, and brand owners controlling the content. The AI-generated avatars themselves carry no legal immunity. In practice, the person or company orchestrating the promotion is legally accountable. For example, this applies if a Hulk avatar speaks Marathi to promote a betting app.
