Betting and gambling are state subjects: India’s IT Minister
India’s Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw (depicted in the featured image), on 26 March 2025 clarified that betting and gambling fall under the jurisdiction of State governments. His statement came in response to a question in Lok Sabha (India’s lower house of Parliament) regarding the Centre’s stance on banning online gaming platforms.
During Question Hour, Member of Parliament to Lok Sabha Dayanidhi Maran, accused the union government of avoiding its “moral responsibility” by not imposing a nationwide ban on online gaming. He pointed out that the Tamil Nadu government had already prohibited such platforms and questioned the delay at the national level. In response, Vaishnaw defended the federal structure of India’s governance, stating that States have the authority to regulate betting and gambling.
DMK MP over online gaming regulation
Maran criticised the government for increasing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on online gaming instead of banning it outright. He asked, “How long is it going to take MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) to ban all the online sites?”
He further questioned whether the government was taking the right approach by focusing on taxation instead of prohibiting online gaming platforms. Maran’s remarks were directed at what he saw as a lack of action by the Centre despite concerns raised by various State governments.
Minister defends federal structure of governance
Responding to Maran’s allegations, Vaishnaw stated that the honourable Member had “no right to question the moral authority of the Central government.” He emphasised that India’s governance follows a federal structure as defined by the Constitution.
He pointed to List 2, Entry 34 of the Constitution of India, which places betting and gambling under the exclusive control of State governments. “The list under which any law can be created is the responsibility of the State government,” he said. Vaishnaw urged the MP to study the federal structure and respect the division of powers between the Centre and the States.
Over 1,000 betting and gambling sites banned in 2024
Responding to another supplementary, Vaishnaw said the central government has taken several steps but laws on betting and gambling are state subjects.
He also informed the House that as many as 1,410 such gaming sites have already been banned based on complaints. The move comes as part of a broader effort to curb the rise of online gambling, which has been linked to financial fraud, addiction, and adverse impacts on youth. The minister also said action can be taken using Section 112 of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha on March 19, Vaishnaw highlighted the government’s coordinated efforts with state authorities to tackle the issue. He said that both central and state governments must work together to address the challenges posed by illegal online gambling and betting activities. “Whenever any instances of violations come to the notice of the central government, action is taken within the Constitutional framework,” Vaishnaw stated.
The banned websites were identified as platforms facilitating illegal betting and gambling, which have been a growing concern in India. The minister also noted that the government has been working closely with various agencies handling cybercrime to ensure effective enforcement. According to Vaishnaw, the collaboration has led to a “significant improvement” in tackling these activities, with 1,097 websites blocked so far in 2024.
