India Blocks 300 Illegal Betting Sites & Apps

New Delhi — The Indian government has blocked over 300 illegal betting websites and mobile applications in a major crackdown on offshore gambling platforms targeting Indian users, officials said on Friday.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued blocking orders under the Information Technology Act, acting on intelligence inputs from law enforcement agencies and the Enforcement Directorate.

The blocked platforms were allegedly operating from countries in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and the Caribbean, and were accepting bets from Indian users through proxy servers and virtual payment networks.

"These platforms were not only facilitating illegal gambling but were also involved in money laundering and tax evasion on a massive scale," a senior government official said.

According to estimates, illegal online betting in India is a multi-billion dollar industry, with much of the revenue flowing out of the country through hawala networks and cryptocurrency channels.

The crackdown comes ahead of the IPL season, which traditionally sees a spike in illegal betting activity. Law enforcement agencies have been asked to monitor known betting syndicates and take proactive action against intermediaries facilitating such operations.

The government has also written to major app stores to remove any applications that facilitate unlicensed gambling or betting in India. Industry observers note that while the crackdown is significant, the sheer volume of offshore betting platforms makes complete enforcement challenging.