The Indian government blocks websites, while offshore bookmakers ramp up traffic

India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) reported blocking 242 URLs linking to illegal betting and gambling websites. According to the agency, this increased the total number of blocked resources to more than 7,800 over the entire course of the campaign.

MeitY emphasizes that the measure has become part of an ongoing crackdown on illegal online gaming platforms. Officially, the aim is to curb access to illegal content and reduce its visibility to users in India.

Traffic metrics for October–December 2025

However, web analytics data cited by market participants show that certain brands, despite the restrictions, continue to maintain a noticeable flow of audience traffic from India. In the October–December 2025 dataset, there is sustained interest in several major operators, including versions operating via copies of websites.

Key indicators cited in industry estimates and media traffic checks:

• A mirror version of 1xBet received about 228,000 visits per month from India
• A Parimatch mirror site showed nearly 300,000 visits per month from India
• Stake logged 234.3 million visits worldwide for the quarter, with India accounting for 13.48%, the second-highest figure after Canada
• Fairplay received more than 225,000 visits worldwide over the same period, with India’s share reaching 88.09%

In the industry, “mirror sites” are understood to mean copies on similar domains created to bypass blocks and capture an audience already familiar with the brand. Such copies may differ by a single letter in the address or by the top-level domain (TLD), while visually replicating the original resource.

How blocks are bypassed within hours

The market describes several mechanisms at once that allow offshore operators to quickly return to search results and to users’ routines. These include launching new domains and mirror sites, increased VPN use, as well as audience spillover via social networks and messaging apps, where links spread faster than blocklists can be updated.

A separate point mentioned is aggressive digital marketing, including paid traffic acquisition, influencer marketing, and activity in closed communities. One executive at an Indian gaming company described the situation as follows: “This is turning into whack-a-mole: illegal operators regenerate domains within hours.”

Why Indian players are drawn to international operators

Fans of gambling entertainment choose international platforms for a whole range of reasons, including bonuses and promotions, the ability to deposit using cryptocurrency, and privacy. But the main reason is still a wide game selection, which includes not only classic slots, card games, and roulette, but also newer formats—from Plinko to crash games such as Jet X, Aviator, Aviatrix, Lucky Jet.

Analytics show that crash games and hybrid formats are gaining traction in India’s iGaming market and already account for a significant share of player interest. This is also confirmed by thematic materials that can be found on industry websites. Thus, according to the authors of the casino to play jet x review site, crash games make up approximately 37.5% of games by betting volume. Players from India choose such entertainment for its fast pace and simple mechanics.

Overall, despite legislative changes, the iGaming market in India continues to develop actively.

A legal vacuum around PROGA

The context around regulation remains ambiguous. PROGA stands for the Prohibition and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, a law on the prohibition and regulation of online gaming. Lawyers note that the act has been passed but has not formally been brought into force, raising questions about the legal basis and the durability of certain restrictive measures.

Technology and gaming lawyer Jay Sayta points out that the gap between the stated crackdown and the reality on the ground persists. His wording is harsh: “Five months have passed, but PROGA has still not been brought into force, and thousands of illegal betting sites continue to operate and thrive.”

What is proposed instead of counting blocked URLs

Criticism from the market and former officials boils down to the fact that URL blocking on its own does not equate to reduced demand. In this logic, the ban limits the storefront but does not affect the infrastructure through which user acquisition and monetization continue.

Among the measures most often cited in the discussion are the following approaches:

• continuous monitoring and daily curbing of promotional activity on social networks and messaging apps
• payment restrictions and oversight of withdrawal channels
• accountability within the advertising ecosystem and cooperation with platforms that place or distribute ads

The President of the Skill Online Games Institute, Amrit Kiran Singh, framed the industry’s position through the effect on the legal segment: “The only victims of this ill-considered ban are legitimate Indian gaming companies.” Meanwhile, a former MeitY official, speaking anonymously, described the problem through the success metric: “MeitY measures success by the number of blocked URLs, not by outcomes.”

CUTS International survey on player behavior

Additional arguments in the discussion were provided by a CUTS International survey of 1,000 former real money gaming (RMG) users, i.e., games played for real money. The sample was collected in Delhi NCR. The study compared behavior before and after PROGA was passed and analyzed access to platforms, spending, frequency of use, and session length.

The authors relied on respondents’ self-reported data and recorded changes in habits, not only the fact of bypassing blocks. In this framing, the ban is viewed as a factor that could shift the trajectory of demand, including a move toward less transparent services.

Migration offshore and rising engagement

According to CUTS International, the share of users of offshore betting platforms rose from 68.3% to 82%, i.e., up by 13.7 percentage points. One in four respondents reported that they started using offshore apps only after the ban. At the same time, 11% stopped using them, while 57.3% continued.

Spending also shifted toward higher monthly amounts. The share of those spending ₹5,000 to ₹9,999 per month rose from 7.6% to 26.2%. Another 13.5% began spending more than ₹10,000 per month, and, the authors note, this category was absent before the ban, which intensifies the discussion about consumer risks and foregone tax revenues.

The study also noted shifts in usage patterns. Daily use of offshore platforms rose from 3.4% to 42%, and the share of sessions lasting more than two hours increased from 3.4% to 44%. One researcher familiar with the results summarized the observation as follows: demand did not disappear—it shifted to a less regulated environment.