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India’s online gambling ban has dismantled a billion-dollar industry that once served hundreds of millions of people, while also cutting off sponsorship deals with the national cricket team.
Yet, gamblers argue that the ban will not stop them. Many insist they will turn to offshore and unregulated betting platforms, while fantasy sports fans can still play apps, though only for prizes and not for cash.
Adarsh Sharma, an advertising professional who regularly played fantasy sports, predicted that foreign websites would “see a sudden boom” as Indian gamblers search for alternatives. “A habit once formed cannot be broken easily,” he said, describing gambling as an addiction that people will find ways to pursue.
India’s parliament passed the sweeping legislation last month after government figures revealed that online gambling companies were extracting $2.3 billion annually from 450 million people. Authorities said the platforms contributed to widespread financial distress, addiction, and suicide, and were also linked to fraud, money laundering, and even terrorism financing.
The law applies to fantasy sports and card games, including India’s massively popular fantasy cricket apps, and violators face up to five years in prison. A major online card games platform has already challenged the legislation in court.
Players say they will rely on VPNs to disguise their locations and use proxy credit cards to place bets on overseas platforms. While this may seem complicated for average users, experienced gamblers say they know how to dodge the restrictions.
“We have done this before and will do it again,” one gambler told AFP anonymously. “We will go back to our old ways of making money.”
