India’s Online Gambling Ban Faces a Fast-Adapting Black Market
Illegal and offshore betting platforms continue operating despite new restrictions, as reported gambling debts place severe pressure on families.
India’s ban on online money-based gaming has not stopped illegal and offshore betting platforms from operating, according to reporting by Al Jazeera Global News. The platforms are reportedly shifting between domains, private messaging groups, affiliate networks and offshore operations to evade enforcement.
The human cost has been reported in several cases in Telangana. In October 2024, 22-year-old Harish and his parents died by suicide after police said his online betting debts had escalated. Police said Harish spent about 1.8 million rupees and borrowed from at least 12 people before the family sold land and faced further financial pressure.
Two other Telangana cases involved young men who reportedly accumulated betting debts before dying by suicide. The cases do not establish that gambling alone caused the deaths, with suicide involving potentially multiple factors. A 2026 meta-analysis nevertheless found associations between gambling disorder and suicidal thoughts, attempts and mortality.
India’s online gaming sector generated an estimated US$3.7 billion in 2024, with money-based gaming accounting for about 86 per cent of revenue. A CUTS International estimate put visits to the 15 largest unauthorised betting platforms at more than 5.4 billion during the 2024-25 financial year, while estimating annual deposits at about US$100 billion. Those figures are estimates, not official measurements.
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 prohibits online money games, their promotion and facilitation, and bars banks and payment systems from handling related transactions. The law took effect on 1 May 2026, but regulators continue to confront a market that can move across jurisdictions and digital channels.
Advertising remains a further enforcement challenge. India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting warned celebrities and influencers in June 2026 against promoting offshore betting platforms. The Advertising Standards Council of India said it identified and escalated 7,927 offshore betting advertisements in 2025, and identified 854 influencers involved in promotions between April and December.
