India has seen multiple gambling-linked enforcement actions in recent days, with a court intervention in Goa and police raids connected to the Indian Premier League in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court has temporarily barred MV Deltin Royale from entering the Mandovi River toward Panaji Port, pending further compliance checks.
The vessel, operated under the Deltin brand of Delta Corp, is 112 metres long and has capacity for up to 2,000 passengers. It was intended to replace MV Royale Flotel, a much smaller vessel with capacity for around 70 passengers.
The court said the vessel cannot enter the river unless it obtains all required certifications and receives express permission from the court. The case is due to be heard again on 6 July.
The petition was filed by activists under the Enough Is Enough movement, who raised ecological, navigational and fisherfolk livelihood concerns. Petitioners also argued that the existing casino licence could not simply be applied to a larger replacement vessel under the Goa Gambling Act.
The dispute comes as Goa’s offshore casino sector remains under increasing scrutiny from environmental groups and local campaigners. Offshore casino licences remain one of the state’s most politically contentious gambling issues, particularly around the Mandovi River corridor where multiple floating casinos already operate.
IPL betting and ticketing investigations expand
In Delhi, the Crime Branch arrested three people over an alleged IPL ticket black-marketing operation. Police seized 54 IPL tickets, 33 complimentary passes marked “NOT FOR SALE” and ₹25,000 ($262.60) in cash.
Investigators said the accused were selling premium tickets and complimentary passes at inflated prices, with the network allegedly active across multiple IPL host cities and linked to bookmakers and criminal elements.
The case comes alongside a separate IPL ticketing dispute involving the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which moved the IPL 2026 final from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad after concerns over complimentary ticket demands from the Karnataka State Cricket Association.
In Jhansi, police arrested two women after raiding a luxury apartment allegedly used for online cricket betting. Authorities seized gold, silver, cash and devices worth nearly ₹1.72 crore ($206,000), including gold biscuits valued at around ₹1.46 crore, silver worth about ₹11 lakh and more than ₹18 lakh in cash.
Police also recovered a laptop, 12 mobile phones and betting-related transaction records. Investigators are examining potential links involving a dismissed police constable and a jailed political figure.
India intensifies scrutiny of gambling and online betting
The latest cases form part of a broader national enforcement push targeting gambling, betting and online money gaming activity during the IPL season.
India’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025 and related 2026 rules came into force earlier this month, creating a stricter framework around online gaming classification, payment monitoring and advertising restrictions.
Several international operators have already adjusted their India strategies following the legislative changes. Flutter previously shut down real-money gaming operations linked to Junglee after the law was introduced, while industry observers have continued to raise concerns over offshore and unregulated betting activity.
Police forces across several states have continued IPL-related crackdowns in recent weeks, with enforcement actions reported in Odisha, Punjab, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. Authorities have increasingly focused investigations on digital transaction trails, mobile devices and bank account activity tied to alleged betting operations.
The latest actions also reflect the fragmented nature of India’s gambling regulation, where offshore casino gaming in Goa operates legally under state legislation while sports betting remains largely prohibited outside limited exceptions.
Earlier this month, GGI reported that Odisha Police widened its IPL betting crackdown with five arrests in Sundargarh district, following similar cases in Puri and Berhampur.
The Mandovi River currently hosts several offshore casino vessels, making Goa the centre of India’s regulated casino gaming sector
