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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.
Featured image: Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
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The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) attended to two illegal gambling operations this week, with 12 suspects arrested.
The details were shared by the SDPD on social media, with the post stating: “‘Just like Vegas,’ one officer said – but these weren’t casinos. These were illegal gambling operations hidden inside a home and a neighborhood market.”
It was on Thursday morning when officers, alongside SWAT, Vice, and the FBI Violent Crime Task Force, served a warrant at a private residence.
“In February 2025, Mid-City Detectives investigated a double shooting in the same area. During the initial investigation, detectives learned the location was used as an illegal gambling den,” the police say in a news release.
“Pursuant to a search warrant, several gambling machines were recovered, and the den was subsequently shut down. Approximately one month later, detectives learned that the den had been reestablished.”
According to the police, inside they found 12 illegal gambling machines, two handguns, ammunition, narcotics, and over $1,000 in cash.
“At the time of the operation, there were 12 individuals inside the residence partaking in illegal gambling.”
“Six people were arrested, two were given citations and four were interviewed and released.”
San Diego Police visit second property, less than 48 hours later
It was then, less than 48 hours later, that officers embarked on their second gambling-related warrant.
“While on patrol, Mid-City officers noticed a man who was violation of a municipal code near the 4700 block of University Avenue,” the police say.
“They tried to stop him, but the man did not comply and entered Rocky’s Market. Upon contacting the male inside the store, the officers observed several electronic gambling machines actively in use. They secured the location and obtained a search warrant.”
The warrant led to the recovery of nine gambling machines, $477 in cash, and a replica firearm. Four people were arrested.
“At the time of the incident, there were four people inside the business partaking in illegal gambling activities. One person was arrested for probation violation and the remaining three were given gambling den related citations.”
Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram
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Daniel Wallach, a sports betting and gambling lawyer on X, formerly Twitter, has reported that there are now 49 “pending lawsuits” against sweepstakes casinos.
The new form of gambling has come under massive scrutiny by lawmakers across the US, as it goes against multiple frameworks set up in the country.

SWEEPSTAKES CASINO LITIGATION UPDATE:
We are coming up on a milestone.
There are now 49 pending lawsuits that have been filed against online sweepstakes casinos – almost all of which have been brought within the last 12 months.
The latest is a putative class action filed… pic.twitter.com/7Gq0avoTit
— Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) July 25, 2025

Wallach’s round-up hits all the points that are being launched against sweepstakes casinos. Stemming from a class action lawsuit from Illinois, it names WOW Vegas, a Gibraltar-based company that has partnerships with celebrities like Paris Hilton. The main points of the lawsuit are common problems found in other complaints.
Each state has its own gambling laws, most of which are being circumvented through the “social casinos” that these sweepstakes casinos present themselves as. New York and Connecticut have already booted them from the state, with California currently looking like it could be the next one.
Sweepstakes casino lawsuit claims its just gambling in disguise
A major pressure point is that these casinos show themselves as “free-play”, but will require the purchase of bundles of coins. Usually split into “Gold Coins” used for said free-play games, they usually come with “Sweep Coins”. These are often a one-to-one with a dollar and can be used for gambling. WOW Vegas, in particular, allows for cash prizes or merchandise when playing with its Sweep Coins.
The lawsuit points out that players simply go and buy more bundles when they run out of sweep coins, despite owning multiple “WOW Coins”, the analog for “Gold Coins” for WOW Vegas. It claims that this proves that the sweepstakes casinos are made for straight-up gambling, rather than the “social casino” they’re presented as.
Once it’s broken down to its core, the lawsuit states that “users who wager Sweeps Coins are engaging in gambling”. This is described as “staking something of value on an event determined predominantly by chance with the expectation of winning additional value in the form of redeemable prizes.”
While protections provided by gambling laws are being lost on these sweepstakes casinos, states are also concerned about the lack of taxation on winnings. Gambling revenue for states has exploded in recent years, becoming a huge earner in states where gambling is allowed.
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