A survey by CUTS International has found that the use of offshore betting platforms increased after online gambling was banned under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA). Conducted in the Delhi NCR region, the survey assessed early behavioural shifts following the prohibition on real-money gaming. It covered 1,000 adult respondents who had participated in online money-based gaming before the ban and may have continued playing on offshore or unregulated platforms afterward.
Researchers used a non-probability sampling approach, combining purposive sampling, snowball referrals, and a pre-verified database developed through earlier studies on online gamers. Respondents qualified if they had played real-money games at least once before September 1, 2025, a date chosen because most major platforms had already stopped monetary transactions ahead of formal enforcement.
The PROGA, which received presidential assent on August 22, 2025, introduced a nationwide ban on all forms of real-money gaming, covering both games of skill and games of chance. Consequently, the law prohibited Indian platforms from offering any wagering or stake-based online play, as well as related payments and advertisements. The legislation aimed to address concerns surrounding financial loss, addiction, and fraud through blanket prohibition.
Findings Of The Survey
Following the implementation of the PROGA, the CUTS International survey recorded a clear shift in user behaviour towards offshore betting platforms across Delhi NCR. Offshore usage rose from 68.3% before the ban to 82.0% after it, marking an absolute increase of 13.7% and a relative rise of 20.1%. Additionally, 24.7% of respondents who had never used offshore sites earlier began using them post-ban, while only 11.0% stopped, producing a net migration of 13.7% of the total sample.
Spending patterns also intensified. Before September 1, 2025, 42.5% of users spent Rs 0–999 per month and 49.9% spent Rs 1,000–4,999, while 7.6% reported spending Rs 5,000–9,999, and none exceeded Rs 10,000. After the ban, the lowest spending bracket fell to 12.7%, while 47.4% spent Rs 1,000–4,999 and 26.2% spent Rs 5,000–9,999. Notably, 7.2% reported monthly spending of Rs 10,000–24,999 and 6.3% spent Rs 25,000 or more.
The frequency of play shifted sharply as well. Daily offshore users jumped from 3.4% pre-ban to 42.3% post-ban. Meanwhile, those playing 1–2 days a week declined from 53.0% to 28.2%, and those logging on less than once weekly fell from 18.9% to 3.7%.
Session lengths increased significantly. Before the ban, 45.1% played for 15–30 minutes, and only 3.4% exceeded two hours per session. Afterward, 44.% reported sessions longer than two hours, while short sessions under 15 minutes dropped to 3.7%.
Playing volume also intensified. The share playing more than five sessions daily surged from 3.4% to 38.3%, while single daily sessions fell from 51.2% to 3.7%, indicating…
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