During the Parliament’s monsoon session, the Lok Sabha passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, on Wednesday. The new law will promote e-sports and casual gaming in India, but will ban real-money gaming and online betting.
The bill was introduced by Minister of IT Ashwini Vaishnaw. It was passed without debate as Opposition MPs staged protests over the Election Commission’s revision of electoral rolls in Bihar.
Once it becomes law, anyone offering or promoting online money gaming could face up to 3 years in jail and/or a fine of ₹1 crore.
Why the Government Brought This Bill
Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw explained the urgency behind the bill.
“People lose their life savings in online money gaming,” he told MPs. He said the government wants to stop addiction and financial harm while giving a push to e-sports and social gaming.
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The minister also raised serious concerns about the misuse of online money gaming apps. He said such platforms have been used for money laundering, financing terrorism, and even as communication tools by terror groups.
Offshore Gaming Platforms Under Scrutiny
Vaishnaw pointed out that many gaming platforms operate from offshore locations. These companies bypass state laws, avoid paying taxes, and create enforcement challenges due to cross-border operations.
The bill will also ban advertisements for money gaming. Banks and financial institutions will not be allowed to transfer funds for these games.
Indian Gaming Apps Likely to Be Hit
The Indian real-money gaming industry is growing fast and is expected to be worth $3.6 billion by 2029 (Lumikai report).
Several popular platforms will be directly impacted by this bill, including:
Dream11 (valued at $8 billion) – India’s biggest fantasy cricket platform.
Mobile Premier League (MPL) – valued at $2.5 billion.
My11Circle, Howzat, SG11 Fantasy, WinZO, Games24x7, Junglee Games, PokerBaazi, GamesKraft.
Shares of Nazara Technologies Ltd., an investor in PokerBaazi, fell 13% in Mumbai after the bill’s passage. Casino operator Delta Corp Ltd. also dipped but later recovered.
Bloomberg reported that both Dream11 and MPL declined to comment.
What’s Next for the Bill?
The bill now moves to the Rajya Sabha. If cleared, it will go to the President of India for final approval.
It also proposes a regulator to oversee e-sports, educational platforms, and casual games.
The move signals the government’s intent to strike a balance — boosting safe gaming while cracking down on risky money games.
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