Maybe someone else has posted this already and I missed it, but it's pretty huge news when you consider India has the biggest population in the world and how fairly liberal they were previously when it came to betting - at least for that region. It all happened rather quickly with little consultation from the industry or any distinguishing between casinos or skill based games. It is going to have a huge knock on effect because many of India's biggest cricket teams were sponsored by these game providers that are now instantly outlawed, along with other sports that had advertising deals. It was targeting the "fantasy sports" model which allowed a form of gambling. I think it's just going to drive betting underground and Indian's will still bet but the revenue will be completely outside India's reach and taxation, maybe a poorly thought out decision by the regulator and government.
What are your thoughts? Are you affected by the ban?
I am not an Indian and also don't live in India, so there is no way the ban could have affected me, but all the same, a ban like this will definitely shake the entire gambling industry or ecosystem in that country, I honestly believe that majority of those who have been gambling before this ban will not comply with it, but would rather find other alternatives or means through which they can continue gamble though it has become illegal.
I do not know what is the reason that lead to the government deciding to ban all money related form of online based gambling or games, this actually said online games, does this mean that it's only online games that are banned and that physical casinos that are not based online can still continue to operate? If this be the case, then the target of the government is definitely online casinos and not the physical ones.
But then on the other hand, if it's both types of gambling both online and offline that was banned, then it's not entirely a good move by the government.