India blocked 129 illegal betting sites after fake court orders were sent to the government

The Indian government ordered internet service providers to block 129 illegal betting sites after officials were fooled by forged court orders sent by fraudsters posing as lawyers. For PSPs and operators watching India, the point is simple: site-blocking action can move fast, but the paperwork behind it may be messy enough to unwind.

1. Reuters reported that the Ministry of Communications accepted two fake documents that appeared to come from courts in Rajasthan and Allahabad. The documents were sent to ministry staff by email and came with fake letterheads, the national emblem, stamps, and QR codes for authenticity checks.
2. On the basis of those forged orders, the ministry issued official directives to providers to block access to 129 illegal betting websites. The same documents were then published on the ministry’s official website, which is how the mistake came to light.
3. A criminal case has now been opened, and Indian police have asked the ministry for the relevant paperwork. According to one Reuters source, the ministry plans to review its procedures and add extra checks for court orders before it blocks websites.
4. All directives issued on the basis of the fake orders will be revoked, and the related documents will be removed from the website. For betting and gambling businesses, that means the immediate enforcement action is being rolled back, but the blocking process itself is clearly still in play.