Online Gaming Bill 2025 gets President Droupadi Murmu's assent, becomes a law
The government has consistently maintained that real-money gaming poses a serious social and public health risk, causing both financial and psychological harm.
- Aug 22, 2025,
- Updated Aug 22, 2025 8:02 PM IST
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, has officially become law after receiving the President’s assent, just a day after its passage in Parliament. The legislation seeks to ban all forms of real-money gaming while simultaneously promoting e-sports and online social gaming. The law will come into effect on a date to be notified soon. The government has consistently maintained that real-money gaming poses a serious social and public health risk, causing both financial and psychological harm. At the same time, the Centre wants to position India as a global hub for e-sports, game design, and social gaming platforms, which are seen as constructive avenues for innovation and digital growth.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the Bill, calling it a step toward protecting citizens while nurturing India’s gaming industry.
“This Bill, passed by both Houses of Parliament, highlights our commitment towards making India a hub for gaming, innovation, and creativity. It will encourage e-sports and online social games,” the Prime Minister said. “At the same time, it will save our society from the harmful effects of online money games.”
Why the ban?
According to Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, online money games have become a “public health risk”. He highlighted the addictive nature of such platforms, particularly among middle-class youth.
The Minister noted that around 45 crore Indians are affected, with over ₹20,000 crore in household savings lost. Beyond addiction and compulsive behaviour, the government has linked real-money gaming to money laundering and even terror financing. “This is no longer just an entertainment issue. Families are being destroyed, youth are suffering psychological disorders, and criminal elements are exploiting these platforms,” Vaishnaw said.
Industry fallout
The immediate impact of the Bill has been visible across India’s booming gaming industry. Several leading platforms have suspended their real-money operations:
Dream11, India’s largest fantasy sports platform, has halted its paid contests. Since over 90% of its revenue came from paid fantasy sports, the company is now shifting focus to ventures like FanCode, SportsDrip, Cricbuzz, and Willow TV. CEO Harsh Jain told employees that “there is no legal pathway” to continue money gaming after the Bill takes effect.
Mobile Premier League (MPL), with 120 million users worldwide, also stopped offering real-money games in India. While deposits have been disabled, users can still withdraw balances. “Online money games will not be available on the MPL platform anymore,” the company confirmed.
Zupee, which has over 150 million users, announced it would discontinue all paid titles. Free games such as Ludo Supreme, Ludo Turbo, Snakes & Ladders, and Trump Card Mania will remain available. The company said it remains committed to “responsible and entertaining” gaming.
PokerBaazi, backed by Nazara Technologies, also issued a statement pausing all operations with “a heavy heart,” complying with the new legislation.
The road ahead
The government hopes the ban will curb addiction and financial exploitation, while paving the way for a regulated, innovation-driven gaming ecosystem. E-sports, coding-based games, and skill-oriented free-to-play titles are expected to become the future focus areas.
However, the ban is likely to cause widespread disruption, with concerns about job losses and declining revenues in the short term. Industry leaders say the law will affect thousands of employees, game developers, and associated businesses that thrived on real-money gaming.
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, has officially become law after receiving the President’s assent, just a day after its passage in Parliament. The legislation seeks to ban all forms of real-money gaming while simultaneously promoting e-sports and online social gaming. The law will come into effect on a date to be notified soon. The government has consistently maintained that real-money gaming poses a serious social and public health risk, causing both financial and psychological harm. At the same time, the Centre wants to position India as a global hub for e-sports, game design, and social gaming platforms, which are seen as constructive avenues for innovation and digital growth.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the Bill, calling it a step toward protecting citizens while nurturing India’s gaming industry.
“This Bill, passed by both Houses of Parliament, highlights our commitment towards making India a hub for gaming, innovation, and creativity. It will encourage e-sports and online social games,” the Prime Minister said. “At the same time, it will save our society from the harmful effects of online money games.”
Why the ban?
According to Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, online money games have become a “public health risk”. He highlighted the addictive nature of such platforms, particularly among middle-class youth.
The Minister noted that around 45 crore Indians are affected, with over ₹20,000 crore in household savings lost. Beyond addiction and compulsive behaviour, the government has linked real-money gaming to money laundering and even terror financing. “This is no longer just an entertainment issue. Families are being destroyed, youth are suffering psychological disorders, and criminal elements are exploiting these platforms,” Vaishnaw said.
Industry fallout
The immediate impact of the Bill has been visible across India’s booming gaming industry. Several leading platforms have suspended their real-money operations:
Dream11, India’s largest fantasy sports platform, has halted its paid contests. Since over 90% of its revenue came from paid fantasy sports, the company is now shifting focus to ventures like FanCode, SportsDrip, Cricbuzz, and Willow TV. CEO Harsh Jain told employees that “there is no legal pathway” to continue money gaming after the Bill takes effect.
Mobile Premier League (MPL), with 120 million users worldwide, also stopped offering real-money games in India. While deposits have been disabled, users can still withdraw balances. “Online money games will not be available on the MPL platform anymore,” the company confirmed.
Zupee, which has over 150 million users, announced it would discontinue all paid titles. Free games such as Ludo Supreme, Ludo Turbo, Snakes & Ladders, and Trump Card Mania will remain available. The company said it remains committed to “responsible and entertaining” gaming.
PokerBaazi, backed by Nazara Technologies, also issued a statement pausing all operations with “a heavy heart,” complying with the new legislation.
The road ahead
The government hopes the ban will curb addiction and financial exploitation, while paving the way for a regulated, innovation-driven gaming ecosystem. E-sports, coding-based games, and skill-oriented free-to-play titles are expected to become the future focus areas.
However, the ban is likely to cause widespread disruption, with concerns about job losses and declining revenues in the short term. Industry leaders say the law will affect thousands of employees, game developers, and associated businesses that thrived on real-money gaming.