New Delhi, August 21: India’s government on Tuesday approved a bill to prohibit real money online gaming, in a move set to disrupt a multi-billion-dollar industry that includes fantasy sports platforms such as Dream11 and card game apps like PokerBaazi.
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, cleared by the Union Cabinet, defines online money gaming as any activity involving the depositing of money or other stakes with the expectation of monetary or equivalent returns. Such games would be banned under the legislation, which is expected to be tabled in Parliament on Wednesday.
The sudden move came without a draft bill being circulated for consultation, unlike previous digital regulations, and marks a significant policy shift by the Centre.
Industry associations representing real money gaming (RMG) firms did not immediately comment, saying they would respond once the bill is formally introduced. Companies in the sector have previously fought regulatory measures, securing court stays on state-level bans by arguing a distinction between “games of skill” and “games of chance.”
That distinction may now lose relevance, as the bill brings online gaming under the administrative authority of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). A 2023 amendment to the IT Rules had sought to establish self-regulatory bodies for the sector, but none were approved by the government amid concerns about independence from the firms they were meant to oversee.
The legislation, however, creates a carve-out for e-sports, allowing video game tournaments that collect entry fees to continue without violating the prohibition.
