The ban on online gambling in India (the PROGA law) did not reduce player participation but instead sharply increased the shift of users to offshore operators. A study by CUTS International records growth in engagement, spending, and daily activity already in the first months after the restrictions were introduced.
The data is based on a survey of 1,000 players in the Delhi region and shows that the market has moved out of regulated control.
What happened to the market
🔵 The share of players using offshore operators increased from 68.3% to 82.0%
🔵 24.7% of respondents started playing on offshore platforms after the ban
🔵 The legal online market has effectively disappeared for players
Player behavior and spending
🔴 The share of daily players rose from 3.4% to 42.3%
🔴 44% spend more than two hours per gaming session
🔴 38.3% access games more than five times a day
🔴 Spending structure shifted toward larger deposits: 26.2% — $ 60−120, 7.2% — $ 120−300, 6.3% — over $ 300
How players bypass the ban
🔵 The main access channel is closed groups in messaging apps
🔵 Mirrors and pre-saved QR codes are used as auxiliary tools
🔵 Blocking measures proved technically ineffective
Economic impact on India
🔴 $ 845 million — player deposits diverted to the offshore segment
🔴 $ 236 million — lost tax revenues
🔴 6,500 jobs lost in the first months
Legal context
🔵 The ban was introduced through the PROGA law, adopted without full public discussion or market participation
🔵 The law does not distinguish between games of chance and games of skill (rummy, fantasy sports)
🔵 The Supreme Court of India has postponed the hearing on the constitutionality of PROGA until January 2026
🔵 The offshore segment continues to grow amid the complete halt of the legal market
Conclusions
The online gambling ban did not reduce demand — it merely redirected it. Instead of protecting players, India faced the expansion of offshore platforms, increased risky behavior, and a loss of tax revenues. The judicial pause only entrenches this imbalance and prolongs the period of regulatory vacuum.
What happened to the market
🔵 The share of players using offshore operators increased from 68.3% to 82.0%
🔵 24.7% of respondents started playing on offshore platforms after the ban
🔵 The legal online market has effectively disappeared for players
Player behavior and spending
🔴 The share of daily players rose from 3.4% to 42.3%
🔴 44% spend more than two hours per gaming session
🔴 38.3% access games more than five times a day
🔴 Spending structure shifted toward larger deposits: 26.2% — $ 60−120, 7.2% — $ 120−300, 6.3% — over $ 300
How players bypass the ban
🔵 The main access channel is closed groups in messaging apps
🔵 Mirrors and pre-saved QR codes are used as auxiliary tools
🔵 Blocking measures proved technically ineffective
Economic impact on India
🔴 $ 845 million — player deposits diverted to the offshore segment
🔴 $ 236 million — lost tax revenues
🔴 6,500 jobs lost in the first months
Legal context
🔵 The ban was introduced through the PROGA law, adopted without full public discussion or market participation
🔵 The law does not distinguish between games of chance and games of skill (rummy, fantasy sports)
🔵 The Supreme Court of India has postponed the hearing on the constitutionality of PROGA until January 2026
🔵 The offshore segment continues to grow amid the complete halt of the legal market
Conclusions
The online gambling ban did not reduce demand — it merely redirected it. Instead of protecting players, India faced the expansion of offshore platforms, increased risky behavior, and a loss of tax revenues. The judicial pause only entrenches this imbalance and prolongs the period of regulatory vacuum.