‘Offshore Online Betting and Gambling in India: A Risk Assessment’, a report by the Esya Centre, argues offshore online betting and gambling sites seem to have evaded regulatory oversight in India. They often operate with impunity despite the fact that online betting and gambling are prohibited in India (barring Sikkim and Meghalaya). Many offshore gambling services also regularly violate content regulation, money laundering, and consumer protection laws too, harming Indian netizens in the process. As per the report, complaints against the sector are on the rise too—5,091 public complaints were filed between August 21st, 2019 and December 31st, 2021, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs National Cybercrime Reporting Portal. The report’s bottom line: ‘no systematic action has been taken [in India] against offshore betting and gambling websites’. Why it matters: Failing to regulate offshore entities may disadvantage Indians at…
