India Blocks 300 More Illegal Betting Sites

ndia blocked about 300 more illegal betting and gambling websites and apps as officials keep tightening online gaming enforcement.

Good to Know

• Authorities said total blocks have now reached around 8,400 sites and apps.
• Targets included sports betting sites, offshore casinos, betting exchanges, satta, matka, and real-money gaming apps.
• Current law bans online money games while still allowing room for esports and online social gaming.

A fresh enforcement round in India has taken down roughly 300 illegal betting and gambling platforms, adding to a much larger national blocking campaign already in place. Officials said many of the operators were reaching users through mobile apps and mirror sites while running without approval.

Rather than limiting action to one corner of the market, authorities cast a wide net. The latest round covered offshore casino sites offering games like slots and roulette, online sports betting platforms, peer-to-peer betting exchanges, and satta and matka networks. Real-money card and casino gaming apps were also part of the sweep.

So far, around 8,400 illegal gambling and betting sites and applications have been blocked, according to authorities. The latest action fits into a wider enforcement drive that picked up pace after the Online Gaming Act passed last year.

Under that law, India imposed a broad ban on online money games. Games of chance fall under the restriction, but so do games of skill and hybrid formats when money is at stake. In practice, regulators are not drawing much room between different formats if cash wagering is involved.

The rules also go beyond the games themselves. Advertising, promotion, and facilitation are banned, and financial channels tied to the platforms face restrictions as well. Banks and payment systems are barred from processing related payments, which gives regulators another way to squeeze illegal operators out of the market.

At the same time, the policy framework leaves space for sectors the government wants to support. Esports and online social gaming remain part of that plan, with officials pointing to innovation and growth in those categories rather than money-based gambling products.

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