Platforms like Stake (75% direct), Parimatch (65% direct vs. 11% organic), 1xBet, Fairplay, and 4RaBet show strong brand recognition. They also have high retention, with users intentionally returning to these sites. This makes them harder to dislodge by simple regulatory actions like delisting or domain blocks.
In contrast, platforms like 1win, Dafabet, Bet365, JeetWin, and Melbet rely more on organic search. This highlights how Google’s ranking system continues to deliver new users to offshore gambling operators.
Search engines, specifically Google (with a >97% market share in India), remain an important discovery channel for illegal gambling platforms. In spite clear jurisdictional restrictions and repeated government advisories, numerous concerning insights emerge.
Aggressive SEO tactics and weak enforcement by search engines help illegal gambling platforms. These platforms get indexed and ranked high in search results. Browsers likely play an underestimated role in driving user access, as data on paid traffic is unavailable.
A report on curbing illegal online gambling in India, authored by Samridh Shastry, Policy Analyst at CUTS International, highlights a failure by search engines, particularly Google, to enforce advertising policies. The report reveals that search engines do not remove or limit the visibility of known gambling-related domains. This happens even after regulatory bodies like the MIB (Ministry of Information) and the CCPA (Central Consumer Protection Authority) flag them.
Technology & Gaming Lawyer Jay Sayta says it’s unclear whether search engines like Google can be prevented from ranking websites, as rankings are automatically determined by algorithms. Google and other intermediaries should, at the very least, ensure they do not promote, advertise, or support illegal betting websites. They should promptly remove such content when pointed out by the authorities. The central government should ensure that access to illegal betting websites is blocked. This blocking should be swift, prompt, and periodic. The same should apply to their surrogates in India. This would make the search ranking and indexing of such websites redundant.
