New Delhi: The government announced on Saturday that it has blocked 357 websites and URLs linked to illegal or non-compliant offshore online money gaming platforms, with nearly 700 more entities currently under investigation.
The Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DGGI) has intensified enforcement actions against offshore online gaming operators, which include both domestic and foreign entities.
Authorities have found that many of these platforms evade GST by failing to register, concealing taxable pay-ins, and bypassing tax obligations. In response, the DGGI, in coordination with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has blocked these entities under Section 69 of the IT Act, 2000, the Ministry of Finance stated.
Approximately 700 offshore entities engaged in online money gaming, betting, and gambling remain under scrutiny. Under GST law, ‘Online Money Gaming’ is classified as the supply of ‘Goods’ and is subject to a 28 percent tax. Operators in this sector are required to register under GST.
As part of recent operations targeting illegal gaming platforms, the DGGI has taken action against financial networks facilitating these operations. Nearly 2,000 bank accounts used for collecting funds from participants were blocked, with Rs 4 crore attached in coordination with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
Additionally, 392 bank accounts linked to UPI IDs found on these offshore gaming websites were put on debit freeze, with Rs 122.05 crore provisionally attached, according to the ministry.
Further investigations uncovered Indian nationals operating online money gaming platforms from outside India. The DGGI has blocked 166 mule accounts associated with these operations and arrested three individuals so far, with more investigations underway.
Authorities also warned the public against engaging with offshore online gaming platforms, citing concerns over financial security and national integrity. The ministry highlighted that several Bollywood celebrities, cricketers, and social media influencers on YouTube, WhatsApp, and Instagram have been found endorsing these platforms, urging caution among users to avoid potential financial risks.
With IANS inputs
