Crackdown on illegal online gaming: 357 websites blocked ahead of IPL season
In a significant move, the GST intelligence officers have blocked 357 websites of illegal offshore online gaming firms and attached approximately 2,400 bank accounts. This crackdown comes ahead of the IPL season, which begins tonight, and is aimed at curbing tax evasion by these entities.
The Finance Ministry has cautioned the public against engaging with offshore gaming platforms, despite endorsements from Bollywood celebrities, cricketers, and social media influencers. Around 700 offshore e-gaming companies are under the scanner for evading GST and failing to register.
Investigations revealed that these offshore companies used ‘mule’ bank accounts to process transactions. The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) has blocked 166 ‘mule’ accounts and frozen nearly Rs 126 crore in two separate cases. Three individuals have been arrested, and further investigations are underway.
According to the government statement, 357 websites/ URLs of illegal/ non-compliant offshore online money gaming entities have been blocked by the DGGI, in coordination with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) so far.
The ministry divulged that another operation against a few Indian nationals, who were running online money gaming platforms from outside the country, revealed that these individuals were facilitating online money gaming to Indian customers through various such online platforms, including Satguru Online Money Gaming Platform, Mahakaal Online Money Gaming Platform and Abhi247 Online Money Gaming Platform, and are using ‘mule’ bank accounts to collect money from Indian customers.
It also informed that under the GST law, online money gaming, being an actionable claim, is classified as a supply of ‘goods’ and is subject to a 28 per cent tax. Entities operating in this sector are required to register under GST.
The government has urged people to engage only with regulated e-gaming platforms, warning that non-compliance by foreign entities can distort fair competition, harm local businesses, and undermine national security.
