In its largest single-day enforcement action since the new year, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) blocked approximately 300 illegal betting and gambling platforms on March 20, 2026. This move is part of an aggressive push to enforce the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming (PROG) Act, 2025, which aims to protect citizens—particularly the youth—from financial fraud and the social distress caused by predatory offshore gaming.
The “Purge” in Numbers
The latest round of blocking orders marks a significant escalation in the government’s battle against unregulated money games.
- Total Blocked to Date: Nearly 8,400 platforms have been prohibited so far.
- The “Act” Effect: Over 4,900 of these (approx. 58%) have been taken down since the PROG Act came into force in late 2025.
- Previous Action: This follows the blocking of 242 similar links in January 2026.
Targeted Platforms
Authorities indicated that the crackdown focused on high-traffic “mirror sites” and apps that often operate from foreign servers to bypass Indian laws.
| Category | Targeted Entities |
| Sports Betting | Cricket and football betting portals. |
| Digital Casinos | Apps offering slots, roulette, and live dealer tables. |
| Betting Exchanges | Peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplaces for wagering. |
| Traditional Gambling | Digitized Satta and Matka networks. |
| Real-Money Games | Card and casino games involving cash conversions. |
The PROG Act, 2025: Stricter Penalties
The move is underpinned by the new legislative framework passed in August 2025, which introduced severe consequences for illegal operators and facilitators:
- For Operators: Offering or facilitating “online money games” can attract up to 3 years of imprisonment and fines up to ₹1 crore. Repeat offenders face up to 5 years in jail.
- For Advertisers: Influencers or media outlets promoting these banned platforms face up to 2 years of imprisonment and a ₹50 lakh fine.
- The “Skill vs. Chance” Distinction: The Act bans almost all real-money games involving stakes, regardless of whether they are categorized as “skill” or “chance,” effectively ending the long-standing legal ambiguity used by many platforms.
- Player Immunity: Notably, the law exempts individual players from criminal punishment, focusing instead on the “predatory” providers and promoters.
Why the Urgency?
Beyond financial loss—estimated by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to have affected 45 crore people with losses exceeding ₹20,000 crore—the government has cited deeper national security concerns.
- Terror Financing: Investigations found some platforms were being used for money laundering and terror funding.
- Mental Health: The government cited the WHO’s classification of “gaming disorder” as a serious health condition to justify the intervention.
“This legislation is designed to curb addiction and financial ruin caused by platforms that thrive on misleading promises of quick wealth,” a government release stated. “It reflects our resolve to safeguard families.”
