The Indian government has issued more than 1,500 orders to block online betting and gambling websites in the last three years.
Between 2022 and June 2025, the Indian government has issued 1,524 orders to block unregistered online betting and gambling platforms, as reported to Parliament by the Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Jitin Prasada, on Wednesday, July 23. Policies from the Central Government geared towards offering an open and accountable internet space for its users give the ministry the power to do so.
“From 2022 till June 2025, the Government has issued 1,524 blocking directions related to online betting, gambling, and gaming websites, and mobile applications,” he said in a written report, as reported by India Times.
Why can India block unregistered gambling websites?
Prasada would go on to highlight that the Directorate General of GST Intelligence Headquarters is empowered as an appropriate government agency under the Information Technology Act, 2000 (“IT Act”) and the IGST Act.
This allows the government to instruct intermediaries to block unregistered online money gaming platforms, including offshore online money gaming platforms, violating the IGST Act. Suppliers of online money gaming are also regulated under the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (IGST Act).
“As per the provisions of Article 246 read with Article 162 of the Constitution, State Legislatures have the power to legislate on matters related to betting and gambling,” Prasada said. “The Central Government supplements the efforts of the States/Union Territories through advisories and financial assistance under various schemes for capacity building of their LEA.”
In the day-to-day enforcement of these laws, the minister said that the states and union territories are the first line of defence in the prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of crimes, including action on illegal betting and gambling.
This comes after India has been increasingly focused on cracking down on illegal gambling, with tighter controls on online betting services and work starting on a $1.7 billion gambling tax earlier this year.
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