The Government has tabled the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, aiming to strike a balance between promoting innovation in gaming and protecting users from its harmful effects.
The Bill aims to:
- Promote and regulate the online gaming sector, covering e-sports, educational games, and social gaming.
- Prohibit online money games, including their offering, operation, facilitation, advertisement, promotion, and participation, especially where such activities cross state borders or originate offshore.
- Establish an Authority for coordination, oversight, and support of the sector.
- Protect individuals (particularly youth and vulnerable populations) from social, psychological, economic, and privacy-related risks.
- Maintain public order, protect public health, and secure India’s financial systems and sovereignty.
- Provide a uniform legal framework for online gaming nationwide.
Key Provisions
- Definition Scope
- E-sports: Organized, competitive games recognized by the National Sports Governance Act.
- Online Social Games: Games for entertainment/education, may charge access/subscription, but do not involve staking money with the expectation of monetary gain.
- Online Money Games: Any online game played by depositing money or stakes with the expectation of monetary return, explicitly excluding e-sports.
What the Bill Prohibits:
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A complete ban on online money games (irrespective of skill or chance).
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Ban on advertising, promotion, and financial transactions related to money games.
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Empowerment to block unlawful gaming platforms, especially those operating from offshore jurisdictions.
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A new Online Gaming Authority will be set up for categorisation, registration, and grievance redressal.
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The Authority can issue guidelines, orders & codes of practice to ensure compliance.
Publicly Listed Companies (Potentially Impacted)
| Company | Segment | Potential Impact | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nazara Technologies | Gaming, e-sports | Mixed: e-sports segment supported, but any real-money gaming arm faces ban | Also operates real-money skill games |
| Delta Corp | Real-money gaming (poker, casino via Adda52) | Negative: Ban on online money games | Direct involvement in online money games |
| OnMobile Global | Casual/social games & some real-money branches | Negative if real-money, neutral/positive if social gaming | Depends on segment focus |
| Info Edge (India) | Investment (startup portfolio includes fantasy sports/gaming) | Negative: Fantasy sports may be considered online money games | Holdings like Zomato/Policybazaar unaffected, but fantasy apps at risk |
| Tech Mahindra | E-sports tech, game development | Positive: E-sports tech & services promoted | Not directly running online money games |
Non-Listed Companies (Startups & Private Firms) Impacted
| Company/Brand | Segment | Business Focus | Potential Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dream11 (Sporta Technologies) | Fantasy Sports (RMG) | Fantasy cricket, football, etc. | High negative: outright ban |
| Mobile Premier League (MPL) | Real-money & E-sports | Fantasy, RMG, e-sports | RMG banned, e-sports supported |
| Games24x7 | Real-money Games | RummyCircle, My11Circle | High negative: banned |
| WinZO Games | Real-money/Casual Games | RMG, skill-based games | RMG segment banned |
| Junglee Games | Real-money Games | Junglee Rummy, fantasy sports | High negative: banned |
| PokerBaazi | Real-money Games | Online poker | High negative: banned |
| KhelPlay | Real-money Games | Online poker, rummy | High negative: banned |
| Zupee | Real-money Games | Skill-based real-money games | High negative: banned if involving stakes |
| SkillClash | Real-money Games | Skill-based real-money games | High negative: banned if involving stakes |
| Adda52 | Real-money Games | Online poker, casino (Delta Corp sub) | High negative: banned |
| Nodwin Gaming | E-sports | Tournaments, sponsorships | Positive: promoted/supportive |
| Upthrust Esports | E-sports | Tournaments, production | Positive: promoted/supportive |
| Gamerji | E-sports | Tournament platform | Positive: promoted/supportive |
| SuperGaming | Casual/Social/Educational | Game development, non-RMG | Neutral/positive: unaffected |
| 99Games | Casual/Social Games | Mobile game development | Neutral/positive: unaffected |
Do you think a complete ban on online money games is the right approach or should the government have gone for strict regulation and taxation instead?
