India’s sweeping ban on online gambling has inadvertently driven punters to unregulated offshore platforms, undermining the government’s effort to curb betting-related harm, according to a recent AFP report.
The legislation, passed by parliament last month, shuttered a billion-dollar industry that had attracted hundreds of millions of users. Authorities said the move was necessary after government figures showed companies were stripping an estimated $2.3 billion annually from 450 million people. Officials linked the rapid spread of online betting platforms to financial distress, addiction, suicide, fraud, money laundering, and even terrorism financing.
Despite the crackdown, many Indian gamblers told AFP they were already resorting to virtual private networks (VPNs) and proxy credit cards to access overseas sites. “We have done this before and will do it again,” one player said. Others stressed that once habits take root, “people will find ways to gamble,” as one fantasy sports fan put it.
The ban applies to online card games and fantasy sports, including fantasy cricket. Offenders now face up to five years in prison. Dream11, India’s largest fantasy sports platform with 260 million users, has discontinued cash contests, replacing them with prizes such as cars, phones, and appliances. The company also withdrew from a $43 million sponsorship deal with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), leaving a visible gap in Indian cricket advertising.
Industry experts warned the ban could ripple through the sporting economy, particularly the Indian Premier League (IPL), which relies heavily on fantasy sports and related platforms for advertising revenue. Analysts estimate these firms accounted for as much as 40 percent of IPL broadcasters’ ad income this year. Reduced spending, they cautioned, could ultimately depress future media rights valuations.
