Updated on: Aug 21, 2025 12:23 pm IST
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 was passed without a debate in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, was passed by the Lok Sabha during Parliament’s monsoon session on Wednesday. The bill aims to boost e-sports and casual gaming but bans real-money gaming and online betting over concerns of addiction, financial losses, and security threats.
Piloted by minister of electronics and information technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 was passed without a debate as Opposition members raised slogans demanding a discussion on the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar by the Election Commission.
Once the legislation is passed by both Houses of Parliament, offering or facilitating online money gaming will be punishable by imprisonment of up to 3 years and/or a fine of up to ₹1 crore.
The bill also seeks to prohibit advertisements related to online money games and bars banks and financial institutions from transferring funds for any of such games.
Why did the government bring this legislation now?
“People lose their life’s savings in online money gaming,” Ashwini Vaishnaw told MPs. He said the government intends to curb the addiction and financial harm that comes with online money gaming, but will promote e-sports and social gaming.
Ashwini Vaishnaw said many such platforms have been used for money laundering, financing terrorism, and as messaging channels by terrorist organisations.
The minister also said that “a plethora” of online money gaming service providers that operate from offshore locations circumvent State-specific regulations, evade taxation and has also raised challenges for law enforcement officials because of cross-border concerns.
Which Indian apps are expected to be impacted by online gaming bill 2025?
The Indian market for such gaming is set to be worth $3.6 billion by 2029, according venture capital firm Lumikai.
- Dream11: Endorsements by top Indian cricketers and other marketing efforts have boosted appeal and investor interest of real money gaming apps such as the popular fantasy cricket games operated by startups Dream11, which commands a valuation of $8 billion. In fantasy cricket games on Dream11, users create their teams by paying as little as ₹8 (10 US cents), with a total prize pool of 1.2 million Indian rupees ($14,000). The app become more popular during the Indian Premier League season.
- Mobile Premier League (MPL): Mobile Premier League is valued at $2.5 billion, PitchBook data shows.
Others apps
- My11Circle
- Howzat
- SG11 Fantasy
- WinZO
- Games24x7 (parent of My11Circle and RummyCircle)
- Junglee Games (covers Rummy & Poker)
- PokerBaazi
- GamesKraft (also known as RummyCulture)
- Nazara Technologies (investor in PokerBaazi, though its direct RMG revenue is minimal)
Shares of Nazara Technologies Ltd., which owns a stake in online poker platform PokerBaazi, fell as much as 13% in Mumbai. Casino operator Delta Corp Ltd. pared losses and closed almost 1% up after a decline of nearly 7%, Bloomberg reported.
Bloomberg News reported that Dream11 and Mobile Premier League declined a request to comment.
What next?
The bill, which also recommends a regulator for e-sports, educational platforms and social games, needs to be further cleared by the Rajya Sabha and signed by the President of India to become law.
