New Delhi, June 2 -- The fast-growing illegal online-gambling and betting and gambling platform market in India poses a significant threat to vulnerable groups like minors and young adults, according to a report by CUTS International, a public policy think tank focused on consumer sovereignty. The report estimates that annual deposits are nearing USD 100 billion in these illegal platforms. The report analyses various dimensions of the problem to show that illegal online gambling is posing serious concerns for consumer protection, financial integrity, and national security.

The extent of the problem can be gauged from the report's analysis - over 5.4 billion visits to the top 15 illegal gambling platforms across 40 of their mirror sites t...