India has blocked a total of 1,524 illegal gambling and betting websites and mobile applications from 2022 to June 2025, according to a disclosure made in the Lok Sabha this week.
The move is part of the government’s ongoing effort to curb unauthorized and offshore gaming platforms that operate outside the bounds of Indian tax and legal frameworks.
Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Jitin Prasada, stated in a written reply that the government had “issued 1,524 blocking directions related to online betting, gambling and gaming websites and mobile applications” over the period in question.
The action underscores India’s increasing scrutiny of unregistered platforms—particularly those with offshore operations—that fail to comply with local tax obligations or the provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) Act.
The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI), the enforcement arm of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, has been empowered to direct internet intermediaries to block such platforms. This includes foreign-based companies that do not register under the IGST framework but continue to offer services in India. Online gaming in the country is subject to an indirect tax rate of 28 percent.
“The policies of the Central Government are aimed at ensuring an open, safe, trusted, and accountable internet for its users,” said Prasada.
Many of the platforms targeted by these bans are known to engage in digital marketing through tech giants such as Google and Meta. Authorities have raised concerns that these services often rely on surrogate advertising, obscuring their true nature while targeting Indian consumers.
To reinforce the tax regime around online gaming, the Finance Act of 2023 introduced a 30 percent income tax on net winnings, applicable from assessment year 2024–25. This complements the existing GST framework and aims to provide greater clarity for stakeholders in the gaming ecosystem.
While the Central Government has taken the lead in terms of taxation and online enforcement, gambling remains a state subject under India’s Constitution. Entry 34 of the State List gives state legislatures exclusive power to define and regulate betting and gambling activities, leading to a fragmented legal landscape.
To support regional enforcement, the Center offers guidance and financial aid to states and Union Territories for capacity building under various schemes. However, the burden of defining and policing gambling-related offenses still lies with individual state governments.
The DGGI continues to play a pivotal role as the designated enforcement agency under both the IT Act and IGST Act, particularly with respect to blocking access to offshore and unregistered online money gaming operations.
This development reflects India’s broader regulatory posture aimed at tightening control over digital gaming and betting, especially in light of growing cross-border and unlicensed activity in the space.
