Higher Spending, Increased Daily Time on Offshore Betting Platforms as Domestic RMG Remains Banned – Survey in Tamil Nadu

26.9% of users initiate usage of offshore platforms after the ban
Sharp rise in ₹5,000+ monthly spending with 9% spending ₹25,000 or more
Evidence points to platform substitution, not behavioural change

Chennai, January 2026: A new survey conducted by CUTS International among 1,000 former online real money gaming (RMG) users in Tamil Nadu finds that spending on illegal offshore betting platforms has increased significantly since the nationwide ban on all online money games in India through Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025. The findings suggest that while users have shifted platforms following regulatory changes, their underlying gaming behaviour, spending levels, frequency, and engagement intensity has remained largely unchanged.

Despite the state enacting stringent regulations in February 2025, through The Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority (TNOGA), which imposed tighter operational mandates on domestic and legitimate operators, the study indicates that since the PROG Act 2025, offshore betting platforms continued to be a part of user’s gaming behaviour. About 67.8% of respondents engaged with offshore platforms alongside domestic operators, prior to the national ban. This proportion has since increased to 83%, driven by more respondents initiating offshore use after the ban (26.9%) than discontinuing it (11.7%).

“The data from Tamil Nadu clearly shows that users have not stopped online money gaming or reduced spending,” said Mr. Amol Kulkarni, Director (Research), CUTS International. “Instead, the same patterns of behaviour are now playing out on illegal offshore betting platforms. What stands out is the noticeable shift and consolidation of spending on these platforms, with fewer but higher-value transactions, even in a state where they were formally banned.”

CUTS surveyed online gaming users in Tamil Nadu through a self-reported online questionnaire to assess changes in behaviour before and after restrictions on legal platforms took effect. The analysis examined shifts in platform usage, monthly spending, and frequency of play, session duration, and daily engagement. Across all parameters, the data points to platform substitution rather than any meaningful reduction in gaming activity.

KEY FINDINGS
Offshore platform usage remains high: Offshore betting usage increased from 67.8% before restrictions to 83% after, underscoring sustained and widespread access to offshore platforms despite regulatory prohibitions.

Significant increase in offshore spending levels: While offshore betting was previously concentrated in lower-value play, post-restriction spending has shifted sharply toward higher ticket sizes:
25% of offshore users now spend ₹5,000–9,999 per month,
Pre-ban, only 2% reported monthly spends offshore above ₹10,000; post-ban, the share has increased with 21% spending ₹10,000–24,999 per month
9% report monthly spending offshore of ₹25,000 or more

These spending levels indicate a consolidation of higher-value play on offshore platforms, which was earlier spread across both regulated domestic money gaming platforms and unregulated offshore operators.

Frequency and intensity of play remain unchanged: User engagement has intensified on offshore platforms:
Daily offshore play increased from 3% pre-restrictions to 45% post-restrictions
Users spending more than two hours per session offshore rose from 2% to 43%
Multiple gaming sessions per day are now significantly more common offshore

The survey findings point to an important policy implication: prohibitive regulation that removes regulated domestic supply without effectively addressing access to offshore or informal alternatives may displace higher-value gaming activity into less regulated environments.
CUTS International conducted a similar survey in Delhi NCR in December 2025, which saw one in four surveyed users migrating to offshore platforms. With similar surveys in other states, CUTS International is building a broader, evidence-based understanding of how users respond to the PROG Act and how spending and engagement patterns evolve across different regulatory contexts.

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