Since India's PROG Rules came fully into force on May 1, 2026, there has been widespread confusion among Indian casino players about their legal exposure. Are players at risk of prosecution? Can you be fined for using an offshore casino? Here is a clear breakdown of how PROGA's criminal penalties work — and who they actually target.
Who PROGA Targets: Operators, Not Players
PROGA's criminal penalties are directed at operators, advertisers, and payment facilitators — not at individual players. The law creates three categories of criminal liability: operating an online money game platform (up to 3 years imprisonment, INR 1 crore fine), advertising such games (up to 2 years, INR 50 lakh fine), and facilitating payments for prohibited games.
The PROG Act does not contain any criminal provision specifically targeting players for accessing offshore casino websites. There are no reported cases anywhere in India of a player being prosecuted purely for using an international online casino platform.
The Real Risk: Payment Disruptions
The more practical risk for Indian players using offshore casinos is not criminal prosecution but payment disruption. PROGA explicitly requires financial institutions and payment systems to refuse transactions linked to prohibited online money games. The OGAI is actively coordinating with banks, UPI providers, and payment gateways to identify and block casino-related transactions.
Players who have funds in offshore casino accounts face the real risk of being unable to withdraw them if their payment method is blocked.
How to Protect Yourself
Indian players who choose to use offshore casino platforms should take practical precautions: use established platforms with long track records and clear withdrawal processes, avoid keeping large balances in casino accounts — withdraw winnings promptly, consider cryptocurrency for transactions where possible, and only use platforms with a verifiable international licence. Most importantly, only gamble what you can afford to lose and use responsible gambling tools to set deposit limits.
