Ban on online money games to be implemented on October 1: IT minister

Ashwini Vaishnaw said that ahead of the final roll out of the law, the IT ministry will hold one last consultation with gaming companies, banks, and other stakeholders

New Delhi: The ban on online money games will be implemented on October 1, with the rules of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Games Act (PROGA) to be formally promulgated on the same day, information technology (IT) minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday.

The PROGA was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 20 and the Rajya Sabha on August 21 during the monsoon session, and received the President’s assent on August 22. (Representative photo)

“We had engaged with the industry, had multiple discussions with them. We have been having discussions with them for the last almost three years,” said Vaishnaw, adding that his ministry held discussions with banks as well.

Ahead of the final roll out of the law, the IT ministry will hold one last consultation with gaming companies, banks, and other stakeholders.

“And in case they need more time, we will definitely consider a more consultative approach, which is our standard approach… But, at this point in time, we are targeting to start the implementation of the new legislation from 1st October, 2025,” said Vaishnaw, addressing a pre-event of the AI Impact Summit, which India is hosting next year in February.

“No public consultation will be held on the rules as it is not required. The law and the rules are very clear. The only thing they (gaming industry) said was to notify them in advance so they can prepare,” a senior IT ministry official said.

The PROGA was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 20 and the Rajya Sabha on August 21 during the monsoon session, and received the President’s assent on August 22. The legislation prohibits all forms of online money games, including those offering cash rewards or virtual currencies that can be converted into money. At the same time, it seeks to encourage the growth of e-sports, skill-based games without monetary stakes, and other recreational online activities.

Under the new Act, providing online money gaming services will attract penalties of up to three years of imprisonment and fines of up to ₹1 crore. Advertising or promoting such platforms could result in a two-year jail term and fines of up to ₹50 lakh.

The last consultation between the IT ministry and the stakeholders took place on September 1, HT had reported. At that meeting, Vaishnaw assured companies that they would be given adequate transition time, with no coercive action during the period, and urged them to report harassment by local authorities directly to the ministry, people aware of the development said.

Reiterating the September 1 consultation, the IT minister said on Thursday that the law is intended to protect users and curb offshore operators while supporting the domestic real-money gaming industry’s transition, adding that the government would “patiently handhold” the sector.

Four nodal ministries — IT, Information & Broadcasting, Sports, and Telecom — have been tasked with implementation, with joint secretaries Ajit Kumar (IT) and Senthil Rajan (I&B) named nodal officers. Many key industry bodies like the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), E-gaming Federation (EGF), Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS), ASSOCHAM, FICCI, and others participated in the September 1 consultation.

Gaming bodies FIFS, AIGF, and Indian Game Publishers and Developers Association (IGPDA) are yet to respond to HT.