Petition filed in Telangana to ban gambling ads on Hyderabad Metro

An advocate from KPHB Colony has filed a public interest litigation that calls for probes into financial ties with offshore gambling operators.

India.- N Nagur Babu, an advocate from KPHB Colony, has filed a public interest lawsuit in the Telangana High Court asking it to direct the Hyderabad Metro Rail and local authorities to remove all gambling ads from metro trains and stations in the city.

Babu also asked the court to direct the Enforcement Directorate to investigate the financial dealings between Hyderabad Metro Rail and various offshore gambling operators like FairPlay, 1xBAT and MyJackpot777. He says the sites operate from other countries and do not have permission to work in India. In his petition, Babu says the Enforcement Directorate has cases against the platforms and has seized about Rs.399 crore related to illegal gambling operations.

Indian government blocks 357 offshore gaming websites

India’s Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DGGI) says that it has so far blocked 357 offshore online gaming websites under Section 69 of IT Act, 2000 in coordination with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). It says it has also blocked 2,400 bank accounts containing a combined Rs.4 crore (US$465.114).

Under India’s GST law, online gaming for money is classified as a supply of goods, requiring providers to register and pay 28 per cent tax.

See also: Goa chief minister denies claims of illegal live gambling at onshore casinos