Centre Blocks 242 Illegal Betting Websites Under Online Gaming Act

The Centre has intensified its crackdown on illegal online betting and gambling, reportedly blocking 242 website links on January 16, 2026. Government sources said the action forms part of wider enforcement under the Online Gaming Act that took effect in October 2025, with thousands of unlawful platforms already taken down to curb financial fraud and social harm, especially among young users.

Fresh blocking order and wider enforcement trend

According to government sources quoted in reports, 242 illegal betting and gambling website links were blocked in the latest action. The same sources indicated that, cumulatively, more than 7,800 such platforms have been blocked so far, reflecting an expanded drive against offshore and unregulated operators that target Indian users through mirror links, proxy domains, and cloned apps.

What the Online Gaming Act seeks to regulate

The law, which came into force on October 1, 2025, aims to promote e-sports and online social games while prohibiting harmful money-based gaming services, along with their advertising and related financial transactions. The framework is designed to shift the compliance burden to platforms and intermediaries, rather than treating end-users as offenders, and to tighten oversight over how online games are marketed and monetised.

Focus on service providers, promoters and money trails

Reports indicate that players will not be penalised for participating in money-based online games. Instead, enforcement is directed at service providers, advertisers, promoters, and entities financing or enabling these platforms. This approach is intended to disrupt the ecosystem that sustains illegal betting, including payment processing, influencer-style promotion, and revenue routing through opaque channels.

Imporatnt Facts for Exams

• The Online Gaming Act reportedly came into effect on October 1, 2025.
• Latest action cited in reports involves blocking 242 illegal betting and gambling links.
• Total platforms blocked so far are reported at over 7,800.
• Law targets platforms and promoters, not players, for enforcement action.

Why the crackdown matters for consumer protection

Authorities frame the steps as essential to safeguard users from addiction risks, data misuse, and financial losses linked to unregulated betting and gambling. The repeated blocking of links also signals an operational challenge: illegal operators often resurface quickly using new domains and app variants, requiring sustained monitoring, faster takedown mechanisms, and closer coordination across digital intermediaries and payment networks.