GUWAHATI: The central government has blocked 357 illegal offshore gaming entities, frozen ₹126 crore, and put 2,400 bank accounts under scrutiny. Many of these platforms are endorsed by Bollywood actors, cricketers, and social media influencers.
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According to a statement from the finance ministry, its tax enforcement agency has led the charge in ongoing crackdowns on offshore online money gaming.
The Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DGGI) has also cautioned the public against engaging with these platforms, warning that such participation could endanger personal finances and contribute to activities that undermine financial integrity and national security. The agency has vowed to implement stricter enforcement measures during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season to curb illicit gaming operations.
DGGI has additionally launched operations against Indian nationals operating online money gaming platforms from outside India. These individuals facilitated online gaming services for Indian customers through platforms such as Satguru Online Money Gaming, Mahakaal Online Money Gaming, and Abhi247. Investigations revealed that these platforms used ‘mule’ bank accounts to collect money from Indian users.
The agency has blocked 166 such accounts and arrested three individuals, with further investigations underway.