Key Takeaways
Contents
- As of March 28, 2026, Indian authorities have shut down 8,376 URLs associated with gambling and online betting operations
- More than 4,800 of these takedowns occurred following the implementation of the Online Gaming Act, 2025
- Penalties for illegal gambling operations range from 1 to 7 years imprisonment under current Indian legislation
- Research indicates offshore gambling platform participation increased from 68.3% to 82% following government restrictions
- India’s shadow gambling economy is valued at a minimum of $20 billion annually
The Indian government has taken down more than 8,376 online gambling and betting platforms as part of an aggressive digital enforcement initiative. On April 1, 2026, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology disclosed these figures to the Lok Sabha.
These statistics represent enforcement measures executed through March 28, 2026. The disclosure came as a response to parliamentary inquiries regarding offshore digital gaming operations targeting Indian consumers.
The majority of removals—over 4,800 URLs—happened after the Online Gaming Act, 2025 became operational. This legislation prohibits online money-based gaming and represents the cornerstone of the government’s anti-gambling strategy.
The enforcement framework relies on multiple regulatory instruments. The Information Technology Act, 2000 and accompanying IT Rules from 2021 mandate that intermediaries, including foreign operators, comply with content moderation standards and remove prohibited material.
Additional legal authority comes from the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. This statute makes unlicensed betting and gambling activities criminal offenses punishable by one to seven years incarceration, plus monetary penalties.
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 extends these restrictions even further. It prohibits not only online money gaming but also the financial infrastructure and promotional activities supporting it.
Tax Regulations Strengthen Blocking Authority
Fiscal regulations provide another enforcement mechanism. Under the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, gambling activities face a 28% GST assessment. The Directorate General of GST Intelligence holds authority to disable access to offshore or unregistered gambling operations.
Collectively, this legislative framework underpins India’s comprehensive offensive against digital betting services. Authorities have cited these laws when justifying the extensive domain blocking campaign.
However, the enforcement data reveals a paradox. Rather than declining, offshore gambling participation in India has actually accelerated despite widespread URL blocking.
Research conducted by CUTS International in the Delhi NCR region during December 2025 documented that offshore platform usage climbed from 68.3% prior to restrictions to 82% afterward. This represents a 20.1% relative growth in participation.
The identical study revealed that daily platform engagement surged from 3.4% to 42.3%. Participants also reported longer session durations and higher monthly expenditures.
Mirror Sites and Payment Apps Circumvent Restrictions
Indian gamblers have discovered workarounds through mirror websites and local payment systems such as UPI. These methods enable uninterrupted access to supposedly blocked services regardless of government intervention.
An additional CUTS investigation conducted in Tamil Nadu throughout January 2026 documented a 15.2% increase in offshore platform engagement following the ban. The pattern extended across multiple geographic areas.
The magnitude of this underground economy came into focus during a MediaNama panel event in September 2025. Dhruv Garg, representing IGAP as a partner, placed the offshore gaming sector’s value at a conservative $20 billion.
Garg emphasized that these funds were exiting India through illegal channels. He calculated that tax revenue losses from this sector surpassed $4 billion—exceeding the total revenue generated by India’s legitimate gaming industry.
The most recent government data from March 2026 confirms that enforcement activities remain active, with 8,376 URLs disabled and over half of those actions occurring since the 2025 legislation became effective.
