Govt cracks down on online gambling, bans over 1,000 websites in 2024: Ashwini Vaishnaw

The government announced on Wednesday that significant progress has been made in curbing online gambling and betting activities, with over 1,000 such websites banned this year.

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, informed the Lok Sabha that tackling these issues requires close collaboration between the central and state governments.

During the Question Hour, Vaishnaw emphasized that the central government takes prompt action whenever violations come to its notice, ensuring all measures align with the Constitutional framework. "In 2022, only 14 betting and gambling platforms were banned and by 2024 the number reached to 1097. We are continuously trying and even we are getting a lot cooperation from the society."

Several lawmakers voiced concerns about the negative impact of online gambling and violent video games on young people. Addressing these concerns, the minister revealed that a total of 1,097 betting and gambling websites were blocked in 2024. He also highlighted that improved coordination among various agencies handling cyber-related crimes has led to more effective enforcement.

Vaishnaw assured the House that the government is actively working on strengthening the legal framework to address online gambling and related cyber threats.