Karnataka authorities claim to have blocked 8,750 betting sites and apps
Investigators say they are tracking financial transactions linked to the platforms.
India.- The Karnataka State Cyber Command says it has blocked around 8,750 online betting platforms in collaboration with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). Officials said intelligence-led cyber investigations had identified organised groups running illegal cricket betting systems through websites, mobile applications, mirror domains, subdomains and cloned URLs designed to evade detection and continue operations after takedowns.
Acting on the findings, authorities registered a case under Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act, along with Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). According to the Cyber Command, thousands of users suffered financial losses linked to the betting networks. Officials said some used credit-based betting systems and lost substantial personal savings.
The blocking exercise, carried out before the Indian Premier League (IPL) final on May 31, involved coordination with internet service providers to restrict access to identified domains. The action reportedly also resulted in the unintended blocking of some legitimate websites, including the online newspaper Jansatta.com, which became inaccessible on several mobile networks. Authorities said this was a consequence of automated filtering systems used to identify betting-related domains, which in some cases misclassified unrelated sites.
Director General of Police, Cyber Command, Pronab Mohanty, said the unit remains committed to tackling cyber-enabled financial crimes and strengthening digital safety. He added that investigations into fund flows and the operators behind the platforms are ongoing.
