Overview
- MeitY’s Cyber Laws Division, in a Saturday advisory dated April 25, directed VPNs and other intermediaries to stop enabling access to illegal markets and warned that non‑compliance could void Section 79 safe‑harbour protections.
- The notice names Polymarket, already blocked in India under Section 69A, and says facilitating access would breach the 2025 law that bans all online real‑money gaming.
- Officials say users are getting around blocks by using VPNs and by turning rupees into stablecoins such as USDC to place bets on offshore sites.
- Despite the clampdown and more than 8,376 blocks reported by March 28, offshore platforms continue through mirror domains and private channels, with one Tamil Nadu election market drawing about $16 million in wagers.
- MeitY cited patchy compliance by platforms and network operators and reminded firms to provide data to agencies under Section 69B and Rule 3(1)(j), while Kalshi remains reachable in India, showing uneven enforcement.