Two charged in India's Gujarat for promoting online gambling
Two social media influencers in India’s western state of Gujarat were charged for allegedly promoting online gaming via social media platforms. The Rajkot city police registered a case at the Cybercrime Police Station against Dharmik Vaghani (20) and Deep Goswami (23) for violating Section 12(A) of the Gujarat Gambling Act. The case was filed by Assistant Sub-Inspector Vivekkumar Kuchadiya of the Rajkot Cybercrime Police.
According to police, the department received information suggesting that some individuals were promoting online gaming in exchange for money. Based on this input, the cybercrime team began monitoring social media platforms.
During the surveillance, Goswami’s Instagram account was found to be promoting online gaming apps that offer monetary rewards. His mobile phone was seized, and police confirmed his account had over 3.22 lakh followers.
Further investigation revealed similar activity on Vaghani’s Instagram profile. During questioning, he admitted to receiving payments for such promotions. His account had 95,400 followers. Both phones were confiscated during the inquiry.
Police stated that both influencers were using their social media reach to advertise online gaming platforms, which could influence their large, mostly young, audiences. The case is being investigated further to determine the scale of promotions and whether additional legal provisions apply.
Gambling in India
India is considering introducing a central law to regulate online gaming, gambling, betting, and lotteries. Currently, online gaming is regulated by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under the Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules, 2021, framed under the Information Technology Act, 2000. These rules impose obligations on intermediaries, including online gaming platforms. If they fail to observe due diligence, they lose their exemption from liability for third-party content.
The idea of a new central law is being considered to ensure that all, including celebrities, who endorse such online activities are brought under a legal framework. Since betting and lotteries are primarily luck-based and require no skill, the Indian government is considering stricter regulations.
Over 1000 betting and gambling sites banned in 2024
Earlier last month, India’s Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, announced that the Indian government had banned over 1,000 illegal betting and gambling websites in 2024. The move came 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.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha (India’s lower house of Parliament) on 19 March 2025, 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.
India’s online gambling market has seen exponential growth in recent years, driven by increased internet penetration and smartphone usage. However, the lack of a uniform regulatory framework across states has made it challenging to monitor and control illegal activities. While some states like Sikkim and Nagaland have legalised and regulated online gambling, others have imposed outright bans. This patchwork of regulations has created loopholes that illegal operators often exploit.
