India blocks 1,410 illegal gambling websites since 2022 as crackdown intensifies
India has blocked 1,410 illegal online gambling platforms since 2022 as part of a broader crackdown on unauthorized betting. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued these blocking directives between 2022 and 2025. Additionally, the government introduced a 30% income tax on net winnings from online games, effective from the 2024-25 assessment year, and a 28% GST on online gaming from October 1, 2023. The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) has been empowered to block unregistered offshore online gambling platforms to ensure compliance under the IT Act and IGST Act. Betting and gambling remain state subjects under India’s Constitution, granting state governments the authority to regulate and enforce related laws. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, effective from July 1, 2024, imposes jail terms ranging from one to seven years, along with fines, for unauthorized betting and gambling activities. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) assists law enforcement agencies in combating cybercrimes, including online gambling-related frauds, and citizens can report such offenses via the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or through the toll-free helpline (1930). The government is also tightening restrictions on gambling advertisements, directing private television channels to adhere to the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) guidelines, which require disclaimers indicating that the game involves financial risk and may be addictive.
