India moves to lift block on Gamban gambling-blocking app after Delhi High Court case
India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has decided to lift the block on Gamban, a UK-based app that stops users from reaching gambling sites, according to a November 2, 2026 report by exchange4media. Gamban thanked the Government of India the same day "for recognising that Gamban should be accessible in the country." The app and website had been blocked since February 2023, and a Delhi High Court order on September 30 gave MeitY four weeks to decide on the company's challenge.
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Overview
- Gamban said on November 2 that it thanked the Government of India for recognising that the service "should be accessible in the country."
- MeitY decided to restore access after an inter-ministerial meeting, exchange4media reported; no MeitY order has been published.
- Gamban's website and app were blocked in February 2023 under Section 69A of the IT Act, in a wider batch of orders against gambling apps.
- On September 30, 2026, the Delhi High Court directed MeitY to decide on Gamban's representation within four weeks.
- Whether the website and app-store listings are again reachable in India had not been confirmed at the time of writing.
India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has decided to unblock Gamban, a UK-based app that blocks access to gambling websites and apps, after the company challenged the block in the Delhi High Court.
The decision was reported on November 2, 2026, by exchange4media, which said MeitY reached it after an inter-ministerial meeting. Gamban confirmed the outcome on X the same afternoon India time: "We would like to thank the Government of India for recognising that Gamban should be accessible in the country and we look forward to engaging and working with them in the fight against illicit gambling and addiction."
MeitY has not published an order on the decision. At the time of writing, it was not confirmed whether Gamban's website and its Google Play and App Store listings were reachable again for users in India.
Why the Gamban app was blocked in India
Gamban's website and app became unavailable in India in February 2023, when MeitY issued blocking orders under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, against a batch of gambling and betting apps. Gamban, which does not offer gambling, argued it had been wrongly grouped with those services.
According to the High Court's order, the ministry blocked the service without a show-cause notice. The only reply cited in the order, an email dated May 6, 2025, was described by Gamban's counsel as "vague and ambiguous." Gamban filed a further representation on April 21, 2026, and no decision followed.
What the Delhi High Court ordered
On September 30, 2026, Justice Amit Mahajan directed MeitY to decide on Gamban's representation and "pass an appropriate order within a period of four weeks, in accordance with the applicable rules and policies," in writ petition W.P.(C) 9658/2026. The court left Gamban free to return if a grievance remained.
The reversal comes as India enforces the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, which bans online money games and has been used to block offshore betting and prediction-market platforms. Gamban said it wants to work with the government against illegal gambling.
For more on India's legal fight over online gaming bans, see our report on the Supreme Court's rejection of review petitions on state bans.
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Daniel Tan is an editor at AskSpinner News who believes industry writing can be informed, approachable and engaging. Daniel turns complex subjects into accessible articles and reports, giving readers a welcoming way into unfamiliar topics and room to build their understanding as they read.
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