Online Gaming bill gets President’s approval, rules to be framed

INdia’s wholesale censor on online money gaming became jurisprudence after chairwoman Droupadi Murmu gave her accede to legislation that completed its parliamentary journey in a record three days, according to a notification released on Friday.The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, passed by both houses of Parliament by Thursday, and received presidential assent on Friday, according to the Rashtrapati Bhavan website and a ministry of electronics and information technology (Meity) spokesperson.The law introduces a dual approach, banning real-money gaming platforms including popular apps like Dream11, MPL, and PokerBaazi, while promoting e-Sports and online social gaming. It prohibits the offering, operation, facilitation, advertisement, and financial transactions related to online money gaming services.Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told Parliament that an estimated 450 million players have collectively lost ₹20,000 crore to such games in recent years.The law has significant implications for India’s online gaming industry, which generates nearly ₹20,000 crore annually through GST and income tax, according to the industry’s own estimates. More than 2,000 gaming startups operate across the country, with around ₹23,000 crore in foreign direct investment over the past five years.The legislation applies to both domestic and offshore platforms serving Indian users. IT Secretary S Krishnan said on Friday that foreign online money gaming websites will be banned in India to curb the influence of foreign entities in the domestic market. He noted the problem is particularly pronounced in smaller cities, with government representatives reporting online money gaming has become a serious issue in their districts.The law empowers authorities to block illegal platforms under the Information Technology Act and establishes a framework for creating a new gaming regulatory authority.Industry bodies representing the sector have called the ban a “death knell” for legitimate businesses, arguing it will benefit offshore operators whilst harming compliant domestic companies that employ over 200,000 people.The IT ministry will now draft implementation rules under the new law and release them for public feedback before finalising. Krishnan said the government will consult stakeholders while framing these rules.Till Thursday, the absence of federal regulation had created a patchwork of state laws, with states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka banning online money gaming while others like Sikkim and Nagaland require operator licensing.