Key Takeaways
- Indian authorities have blocked 8,376 gambling-related URLs as of March 28, 2026
- More than 4,800 blockages occurred following implementation of the Online Gaming Act, 2025
- Penalties for illegal betting range from 1-7 years imprisonment under current legislation
- Research indicates offshore platform usage jumped from 68.3% to 82% following the prohibition
- India’s offshore gambling sector is valued at a minimum of $20 billion
Indian authorities have taken down more than 8,376 online gambling and betting platforms in an extensive enforcement operation. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology disclosed these numbers during a parliamentary session on April 1, 2026.
The statistics represent enforcement measures implemented through March 28, 2026. Officials provided this information while addressing parliamentary inquiries regarding offshore digital gaming operators functioning within Indian jurisdiction.
Approximately 4,800 of these blocked web addresses were taken offline following the implementation of the Online Gaming Act, 2025. This legislation prohibits online money-based gaming and represents a cornerstone of governmental efforts to combat digital wagering.
The enforcement initiative relies on multiple regulatory frameworks. The IT Act, 2000 and IT Rules, 2021 mandate that intermediaries, including foreign platforms, adhere to due diligence protocols and remove prohibited material.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 contributes additional weight. This statute makes unlicensed betting and gambling criminal offenses punishable by imprisonment from one to seven years, plus monetary penalties.
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 extends these restrictions. It prohibits online money gaming along with associated financial processing and promotional activities.
Tax Regulations Strengthen Enforcement Arsenal
Taxation legislation also serves as an enforcement mechanism. The Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 levies a 28% GST on gambling operations. The Directorate General of GST Intelligence holds authority to disable unregistered or foreign gambling websites.
Collectively, these regulations constitute the legal framework supporting India’s offensive against online wagering services. Authorities have cited these laws to validate the extensive blocking of thousands of web addresses.
However, the data reveals a paradoxical situation. Despite aggressive enforcement measures, offshore gambling participation in India seems to be expanding instead of declining.
Research conducted by CUTS International in Delhi NCR throughout December 2025 revealed that offshore platform engagement increased from 68.3% prior to the ban to 82% afterward. This marks a 20.1% relative growth.
The identical research discovered that daily platform access surged from 3.4% to 42.3%. Participants were simultaneously dedicating more time to these services and raising their monthly expenditures.
Users Circumvent Restrictions via Mirror Sites and Payment Apps
Participants discovered methods to bypass the limitations using mirror websites and local payment systems like UPI. These mechanisms enabled ongoing access to prohibited platforms despite governmental intervention.
A separate CUTS investigation in Tamil Nadu from January 2026 documented a 15.2% increase in offshore platform engagement post-ban. The pattern extended beyond a single geographic area.
The magnitude of the offshore sector was revealed during a MediaNama panel conversation in September 2025. Dhruv Garg, a partner at IGAP, calculated the offshore gaming industry was conservatively valued at $20 billion.
Garg stated the funds were exiting India through illegal channels. He further noted that tax evasion from this sector surpassed $4 billion, exceeding the revenue generated by India’s legitimate gaming industry.
The most recent governmental statistics from March 2026 demonstrate that India’s enforcement campaign continues, with 8,376 URLs disabled and over half implemented following the 2025 legislation’s activation.
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