Centre Issued 1410 Blocking Directions Related To Gaming Websites: Ashwini Vaishnaw (image:screen grab from x.com/AshwiniVaishnaw)
New Delhi: Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday (March 26) told the Parliament that the Centre has issued 1410 blocking directions related to online betting/gambling/gaming websites in the last three years till February this year.
Responding to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister held that the Central Government has taken suitable steps to regulate financial transactions and user data protection for digital platforms, including online gaming platforms.
“To bring certainty in the levy of income tax in online gaming sector, Government vide Finance Act, 2023 has introduced income tax at the rate of thirty per cent on the net winnings in the online games with effect from assessment year 2024-25,” Minister said.
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Apart from this, since last October, the Centre has introduced GST at the rate of 28% in online gaming. Also, the supplier of online money gaming shall obtain a single registration under the Simplified Registration Scheme referred to in the Integrated Good and Services Tax Act, 2017 (“IGST Act”) and the suppliers of offshore online money gaming are also being regulated under IGST Act.
The Directorate General of GST Intelligence Headquarters has been empowered to instruct the intermediaries to block unregistered online money gaming platforms including offshore online money gaming platforms violating the IGST Act.
However, Minister said that since “Betting and gambling” is a state subject, State Legislatures have power to legislate on matters related to betting and gambling. The States or Union Territories are fundamentally responsible for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of crimes including for action on illegal betting and gambling through their Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), Minister added.
“Accordingly, State police departments take preventive and penal action as per law in respect of illegal betting and gambling. The Central Government supplements the initiatives of the States/UTs through advisories and financial assistance under various schemes for capacity building of their LEAs,” Vaishnaw said in the Lok Sabha.
He further added that Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 112(1) punishes unauthorised betting and gambling with minimum 1 year of imprisonment, extendable up to 7 years and with fine.
With regarding the protection of personal data, the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011 under the IT Act, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 facilitates legal framework prescribing reasonable security safeguards and measures on handling sensitive personal data or information.
“MeitY [Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology] has issued 1410 blocking directions related to online betting/gambling/gaming websites (including mobile applications) between the year 2022- 25 (till February, 2025),” Minister said.
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He further detailed about how Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) handles cyber crimes in the country. A tollfree Helpline number 1930 has also been made functional to get assistance in registering online complaints. Concerning addiction to online games, the Ministry of Education has issued an advisory for parents & teachers on “Overcoming online gaming downsides” and “Children’s safe
online gaming”.
“In addition, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has also issued advisory to all private satellite television channels on ‘Advertisements on Online Games, Fantasy Sports, etc.’, advising all broadcasters that the guidelines issued by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) be complied with and that the advertisements broadcast on television adhere to the same,” Minister added.
