India is inspecting whether or not cost information ought to include extra details about the web sites behind transactions linked to unlawful on-line gaming and betting.
The proposal comes from the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI), which needs investigators to have a clearer option to join web sites with retailers and monetary accounts. Under the recommended adjustments, cost information would determine the web site that despatched or directed a person to make a transaction. Authorities additionally need disclosure of each checking account related to a web site’s items and companies tax registration.
The suggestions emerged after a 14-month DGGI investigation recognized INR 700 billion ($7.4 billion) in transactions related to unlawful on-line gaming and betting networks throughout one monetary yr.
That quantity covers transactions discovered in the course of the investigation. It doesn’t signify a confirmed determine for operator earnings, tax evasion or authorities income losses. Authorities are nonetheless investigating the monetary impression.
Proxy Merchants Complicate the Transaction Trail
The proposed adjustments deal with a niche authorities encounter when inspecting gambling-related funds.
Banks and cost gateways at the moment file details about the service provider receiving a transaction. Illegal betting web sites can direct customers to proxy service provider companies, making the connection between the web site and the cost recipient tougher to determine.
Adding the originating or directing web site to the cost file might present investigators with one other piece of knowledge when following funds by means of retailers and financial institution accounts.
Disclosure of accounts linked to GST registrations might serve an analogous function. Investigators would achieve extra details about accounts probably concerned in receiving or transferring cash related to unlawful gaming operations.
The DGGI has but to outline who can be accountable for creating and protecting these information. Gaming platforms might have a job, whereas obligations might additionally fall to cost gateways, aggregators or banks.
Verification presents one other unresolved problem. Any ultimate framework would wish a way for confirming that the web site recorded because the supply of a cost is definitely the web site that initiated or directed the transaction.
“Authorities have yet to determine which entities would collect and maintain the additional information”
For that motive, the proposals stay beneath session. The course of will think about how corporations would acquire the data and retain it, together with how authorities would obtain entry to the information.
The necessities might additionally create further due-diligence obligations for cost suppliers and banks if officers determine to proceed with the plan.
DGGI’s investigation additionally thought-about whether or not unlawful betting and gaming networks might facilitate cash laundering and different illicit monetary exercise.
Payment Proposal Follows Wider Online Gaming Restrictions
The dialogue is going down inside a considerably modified authorized setting for on-line cash gaming in India.
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 launched a prohibition on on-line cash video games. It additionally prevents banks and cost programs from processing transactions linked with these video games.
Supporting guidelines took impact on May 1, 2026.
The framework doesn’t separate on-line cash video games in response to whether or not they contain ability or likelihood. It additionally covers promoting and cost facilitation related to prohibited video games.
If adopted, the DGGI suggestions would give investigators further transaction info whereas these broader restrictions stay in drive. Authorities might probably use information figuring out originating web sites alongside details about retailers and GST-linked financial institution accounts when inspecting monetary exercise.
The authorized adjustments have already affected one other matter involving India’s former real-money gaming market.
Gaming Ban Changes Course of Google Competition Case
A separate antitrust dispute between WinZO Games and Google lately ended after the Competition Commission of India concluded that the brand new laws had modified the circumstances that initially led to the case.
WinZO submitted its criticism in 2022, alleging that Google abused its dominant place by means of its Play Store and Google Ads insurance policies.
The dispute included Google’s pilot program for real-money gaming apps. That initiative admitted each day fantasy sports activities and rummy functions to the Play Store whereas excluding different real-money gaming merchandise.
In November 2024, the Competition Commission ordered an in depth investigation after reaching a prima facie view that the criticism warranted examination.
Google subsequently proposed allowing eligible skill-based real-money video games and promoting linked with them, offered the merchandise met certification necessities.
The regulatory setting later modified. The 2025 laws prohibited on-line cash video games and related promoting and cost facilitation with out sustaining the earlier distinction between video games of ability and likelihood.
Google had already discontinued its real-money gaming pilot and stopped taking associated commercials in January 2026.
WinZO then sought to withdraw its criticism at an August 25 listening to. The Competition Commission mentioned that request didn’t by itself require the regulator to finish the proceedings. It individually concluded that persevering with with the case would serve no helpful function as a result of the reduction initially sought might not be granted beneath the present authorized framework.
The regulator left open the opportunity of reviewing Google’s conduct once more if circumstances change. It mentioned the matter might return if the laws is stayed, overturned or repealed and the alleged practices reappear.
For now, consideration has shifted towards implementation of India’s present restrictions. The proposed DGGI cost guidelines stay one a part of that course of, with authorities nonetheless working by means of questions on accountability, verification and the dealing with of further transaction knowledge.
Source:
India Proposes New Rules To Trace Gambling Funds, LCB.org, September 11, 2026.
