India’s ban on online real-money gaming has changed where players place bets, according to survey data from Delhi NCR. Rather than eliminating gambling activity, the policy appears to have redirected users toward offshore betting platforms operating outside Indian regulation.
The findings are based on a CUTS International survey of 1,000 former online real-money gaming users in Delhi NCR. Using self-reported responses collected through an online questionnaire, the study compared behaviour before and after the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, focusing on access patterns, spending, and time spent gambling.
“The indications from the Delhi NCR survey point to a strong migration towards offshore betting platforms, since the prohibition on online real money gaming in India. We are seeing almost one in four surveyed RMG users migrating toward offshore betting platforms, with increased frequency and duration of engagement with offshore platforms compared to pre-ban patterns. These observed behavioural changes represent an unintended consequence of the policy that warrants examination” said Mr. Amol Kulkarni, Director (Research), CUTS International on the survey’s findings.
Offshore platforms become the primary outlet
Before the ban, 68.3 percent of respondents already used offshore betting platforms. After the prohibition, that figure rose to 82 percent. One in four respondents began using offshore betting apps only after the ban took effect. While 11 percent stopped using offshore platforms, 57.3 percent continued, indicating a durable shift.
Sohom Banerjee, Senior Research Associate at CUTS International, said the survey reflects a redistribution of play. “The survey indicates that users were already participating in real-money gaming earlier, both on domestic platforms and offshore ones. What appears to have changed is the distribution of where they play and spend, not necessarily the overall appetite for gaming.”
He added, “If someone earlier spent ₹5,000 ($55.53) on regulated RMG and ₹5,000 ($55.53) offshore, that same total may now be fully directed toward offshore options because domestic platforms are not available.”
Spending and engagement intensify offshore
The proportion of offshore users spending ₹5,000–₹9,999 per month rose from 7.6 percent to 26.2 percent after the ban, while 13.5 percent now spend more than ₹10,000 per month, a category absent earlier. Usage frequency also increased sharply, with daily access climbing from 3.4 percent to 42 percent, and users spending more than two hours per session rising from 3.4 percent to 44 percent.
Oversight gaps and industry impact
The shift offshore has raised enforcement concerns. Corporate lawyer Divya Sharma said, “Offshore operators sit outside India’s regulatory reach without new laws and international cooperation,” adding that access persists because “The offshore platforms remain accessible because they evade Indian KYC/AML norms and use VPNs or mirror domains to stay online.”
Industry disruption has followed. iGaming strategist Japneet Singh Sethi said, “The decision to ban definitely shattered a lot of Indian investors’ dreams to build something valuable and unique.” He warned that offshore markets may continue absorbing demand. “Offshore has been growing consistently and that’s a fact,” he said, while arguing that regulation could restore oversight and revenue.
Source:
“India offshore betting up 20% after RMG ban: Report”, cuts-ccier.org, December 2025
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