India blocks 242 illegal betting sites as enforcement ramps up under Online Gaming Act

The Indian government has ordered access blocked to 242 illegal betting and gambling websites, taking total takedowns past 7,800 amid a wider crackdown on unlicensed real-money gaming platforms.

India has intensified its fight against unlicensed online betting, with the central government confirming that 242 illegal betting and gambling website links have been blocked in a fresh enforcement round. Officials said the order was issued on Friday, bringing the total number of illegal platforms taken down to more than 7,800.

According to government sources cited by Indian media, the latest action forms part of broader enforcement under the Online Gaming Act, which was passed in 2025 to regulate online money gaming and curb offshore betting operations. Authorities say enforcement activity has increased significantly since the law’s passage, with the focus on blocking access to sites that illegally target Indian users.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) coordinated the takedown orders, which apply to domains and links associated with unlicensed betting brands. Officials have framed the move as necessary to protect consumers—especially young people—from financial losses, fraud and social harm linked to unregulated online gambling, and to support the shift toward a licensed, domestically regulated market.

While the government highlights the 7,800-plus blocked platforms as evidence of a tougher stance, industry experts and legal commentators note that hundreds of offshore sites still remain accessible and may reappear under new domains. For now, however, the latest wave of 242 blocks signals that Delhi intends to keep tightening technical and legal pressure on operators that ignore India’s online gaming and anti-gambling rules.