New Delhi, March 20
The Government has blocked another 300 illegal gambling and betting websites as well as apps in a major crackdown across online sports betting platforms, online casinos offering slots, roulette, live dealer tables and betting exchanges functioning like p-2-p betting marketplaces, official sources said on Friday.
Satta/matka gambling networks and real-money card & casino game apps also figure in the list of blocked apps, the sources said.
The latest crackdown takes the total number of websites that have been blocked for illegal betting and gambling to around 8,400. As many as 4,900 of these have been blocked after the passage of the Online Gaming Act.
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, passed by the Parliament on August 21, 2025, marks a landmark move to shield citizens from the menace of online money games while promoting and regulating other kinds of online games.
The new law, which came into effect on October 1, 2025, mandates strict penalties for offering or advertising real-money games, such as poker, rummy, and fantasy sports, with punishments including up to three years of imprisonment and significant fines. The legislation also establishes the Online Gaming Authority of India to regulate the industry, promote safe e-sports, and oversee the prohibition of stake-based games.
It aims to curb addiction, financial ruin and social distress caused by predatory gaming platforms that thrive on misleading promises of quick wealth. It reflects the government's resolve to safeguard families while guiding the digital economy towards safe and constructive growth.
The seriousness of the issue is recognised globally. The World Health Organisation classifies gaming disorder as a health condition in its International Classification of Diseases, describing it as a pattern of play marked by loss of control, neglect of other daily activities, and persistence despite harmful consequences. This highlights why decisive action is necessary in India as well.
Online money gaming platforms have caused widespread harm. Families have lost their savings. Young people have fallen into addiction. In some heartbreaking cases, financial distress linked to these games has even led to suicides. The Government has recognised these dangers and responded with strong legislation.
At the same time, the law takes a balanced approach. It recognises the online gaming sector as one of the most dynamic segments of the digital and creative economy, with significant opportunities for innovation, cognitive development, employment generation, technological advancement and global competitiveness. It encourages e-sports, which are organised competitive video games, and promotes safe online social and educational games. It clearly separates constructive digital recreation from betting, gambling, and fantasy money games that exploit users with false promises of profit.
- IANS
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