The Government of India introduced the Online Gaming Regulation Bill 2025 in the Lok Sabha. It prohibits money gaming and promotes e-sports, educational and social games.

A bill to regulate online gaming and promote educational and social online games was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday (August 20, 2025). Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnav introduced the Online Games Promotion and Regulation Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha amid continuous sloganeering by opposition members on the issue of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar.

The Bill provides for a ban on online money gaming or its advertisements and provides for imprisonment or fine, or both, for those offering or advertising the same. It also provides for the establishment of an authority to promote, regulate, and strategically develop the online gaming sector, including e-sports, educational sports and social sports. The Bill prohibits the offering, operation, facilitation, advertising, promotion, and participation in online money gaming through a computer, mobile machine or the internet, particularly where such activities are conducted across State borders or from a foreign country.

Important point related to the bill

The bill states that its purpose is to protect people from the adverse social, economic, psychological and privacy related effects of such games. The main task is to protect the youth and the vulnerable sections. Apart from this, it is important to ensure responsible use of digital technologies, maintain public order, protect public health, protect financial systems and the security and sovereignty of the state. At the same time, with the help of the bill, a uniform legal framework at the national level is to be established in public interest.

Brake on market growth

India's online gaming industry is currently worth around Rs 32,000 crore. Of this, 86% revenue comes from real money gaming (RMG). Industry experts had estimated that this market could reach Rs 80,000 crore by 2029, but the ban on money gaming will directly impact this growth trajectory.

Pressure on big companies

The business model of major Indian companies like Dream11, Games24x7, WinZO and Gameskraft depends largely on real money gaming. After this ban, their main revenue source will stop. Companies will have to shift towards e-sports, educational games and social games, but this transition will not be easy.