Digital India Foundation calls for stricter enforcement on illegal online gambling sites
Non-profit think tank Digital India Foundation has called for a joint effort from the government and big tech companies, such as Google and Meta, to shut down the fast-growing illegal online gambling market in India.
According to the Digital India Foundation, illegal online gambling operators function through a sophisticated network of digital advertising and marketing channels, payment ecosystems, and software providers.
The think tank expressed concern that illegal gambling can lead to a rise in money laundering and other financial crimes.
In a report titled ‘Illegal Gambling and Betting Market in India: The Scale and Enablers,’ the Digital India Foundation stated that over 1.6 billion visits were recorded across four offshore platforms, Parimatch, Stake, 1xBet, and Batery Bet, between October and December 2024.
The report also noted that social media platforms were responsible for 42.8 million visits during this period, largely from paid advertisements, promoted content, influencer marketing, and social media engagement campaigns.
The Founder of Digital India Foundation, Dr. Arvind Gupta, said, “Indian regulators need to actively collaborate with social media companies such as Google and Meta as enforcement of controlling gambling-related promotions remains highly inconsistent. They should have a rule of conduct where they stop hosting gambling ads and promoting illegal sites – sites which don’t pay GST, for instance. The financial and payment systems should block payments to these sites.”
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