Reuters reported on November 12 that India ordered internet providers to block 129 illegal betting websites using two state high-court orders that were later found to be forged. The report says the Rajasthan High Court registrar confirmed one purported order did not exist, while the Allahabad High Court filed a police complaint after Reuters’ questions. This is a serious process failure around blocking directions; it does not make the betting sites lawful or safe to use.
What Reuters found
According to Reuters’ November 12 report, republished by ET Telecom, the Department of Telecommunications issued directions on July 21 and September 2 affecting 34 and 95 websites respectively. The orders attached to those directions purported to come from the Rajasthan and Allahabad High Courts. Reuters found that neither order appeared in the courts’ online records.
The report says the Allahabad High Court’s cybercrime unit opened an investigation into alleged forgery and cheating. Reuters also reported that the Department of Telecommunications had not responded to its questions and that it was not clear who created the documents or whether artificial intelligence was used.
Why this matters for people searching for cricket and rummy apps
A block page, a search result, or a message saying that a domain has “court approval” is not reliable proof that an app is legitimate. The Reuters findings concern the route used for these particular blocking directions, not a permission to deposit money with an offshore betting service or to bypass a restriction.
India’s online-gaming rules still matter when users assess any app that asks for a deposit, a payment link, or access to an account. Our Online Gaming Rules 2026 explainer outlines the national framework, while our OGAI advisory report explains why app stores, banks and other intermediaries became part of the compliance picture.
Checks that are still worth making
- Use a publisher’s official website or verified store listing rather than a mirrored domain or forwarded APK.
- Do not treat a screenshot of a court order, a government-looking seal, or a “legal in India” badge as proof on its own.
- Never share an OTP, UPI PIN, card CVV, remote-screen access or a “withdrawal release fee” with a person claiming to restore access.
What happens next
The next meaningful developments are the police investigation and any official clarification about the affected blocking directions. Users should avoid claims that the Reuters report has unblocked a service or changed India’s rules for online money games; the report makes no such finding.
For another recent enforcement development, see our report on the ED’s All Panel Exchange investigation. Source: Reuters, November 12, 2026.
