India Cracks Down Offshore Gaming

The India — Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) in India has intensified its crackdown on illegal offshore online money gaming entities. The agency has blocked 357 websites/URLs and attached approximately 2,400 bank accounts, freezing nearly ₹126 crore. Around 700 offshore entities are under the DGGI's scanner for evading a 28% Goods and Services Tax (GST) on 'Online Money Gaming' by failing to register, concealing taxable pay-ins, and bypassing tax obligations. Investigations revealed these companies operated through 'mule' bank accounts, with 166 such accounts blocked. The DGGI, in coordination with the India — Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), blocked websites under Section 69 of the IT Act, 2000. Additionally, the DGGI, with the India — Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the India — National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), froze 392 bank accounts linked to UPI IDs. Three Indian nationals running online money gaming platforms from outside India, including Satguru Online Money Gaming Platform, Mahakaal Online Money Gaming Platform, and Abhi247 Online Money Gaming Platform, have been arrested. The India — Ministry of Finance (India) has cautioned the public against engaging with these platforms, citing risks to personal finances and national security, especially as many are endorsed by celebrities and influencers. The government plans more stringent enforcement actions with the upcoming IPL season to curb illicit gaming operations.