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Online Gaming Bill 2025 passed: Which Indian apps are likely to be impacted after Rajya Sabha nod?
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 was passed without a debate in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, was passed by the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, a day after the Lok Sabha cleared it, during Parliament's monsoon session. The bill aims to boost e-sports and casual gaming but bans real-money gaming and online betting over concerns of addiction, financial losses, and security threats.
Piloted by minister of electronics and information technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 was passed in the Lok Sabha without a debate as Opposition members raised slogans demanding a discussion on the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar by the Election Commission.
Also Read | Online Gaming Bill passed in Rajya Sabha by voice vote amid Oppn ruckus
With the clearance from both Houses of Parliament, offering or facilitating online money gaming will now be punishable by imprisonment of up to three years and/or a fine of up to ₹1 crore.
The bill also seeks to prohibit advertisements related to online money games and bars banks and financial institutions from transferring funds for any of such games.
Why did the government bring this legislation now?
“People lose their life’s savings in online money gaming,” Ashwini Vaishnaw told MPs. He said the government intends to curb the addiction and financial harm that comes with online money gaming, but will promote e-sports and social gaming.
Ashwini Vaishnaw said many such platforms have been used for money laundering, financing terrorism, and as messaging channels by terrorist organisations.
The minister also said that "a plethora" of online money gaming service providers that operate from offshore locations circumvent State-specific regulations, evade taxation and has also raised challenges for law enforcement officials because of cross-border concerns.
Which Indian apps are expected to be impacted by online gaming bill 2025?
The Indian market for such gaming is set to be worth $3.6 billion by 2029, according venture capital firm Lumikai.
- Dream11: Endorsements by top Indian cricketers and other marketing efforts have boosted appeal and investor interest of real money gaming apps such as the popular fantasy cricket games operated by startups Dream11, which commands a valuation of $8 billion. In fantasy cricket games on Dream11, users create their teams by paying as little as ₹8 (10 US cents), with a total prize pool of 1.2 million Indian rupees ($14,000). The app become more popular during the Indian Premier League season.
- Mobile Premier League (MPL): Mobile Premier League is valued at $2.5 billion, PitchBook data shows.
Others apps
- My11Circle
- Howzat
- SG11 Fantasy
- WinZO
- Games24x7 (parent of My11Circle and RummyCircle)
- Junglee Games (covers Rummy & Poker)
- PokerBaazi
- GamesKraft (also known as RummyCulture)
- Nazara Technologies (investor in PokerBaazi, though its direct RMG revenue is minimal)
Shares of Nazara Technologies Ltd., which owns a stake in online poker platform PokerBaazi, fell as much as 13% in Mumbai. Casino operator Delta Corp Ltd. pared losses and closed almost 1% up after a decline of nearly 7%, Bloomberg reported.
Bloomberg News reported that Dream11 and Mobile Premier League declined a request to comment.
Reactions
Reacting to the development, Parth Chadha, CEO and co-founder of STAN, one of India’s fastest-growing social gaming platforms, said the government’s move to distinguish between real money gaming and esports was “historic".
“For India’s gaming industry, the government’s decision to separate social gaming and competitive esports from real money gaming and to support them with specialised authority and skill building initiatives is historic. This has been our true belief at STAN since Day 1. The true potential in our opinion is found in the competitive esports ecosystem and social gaming communities where studios, creators and players co-exist,” Chadha said.
He also acknowledged the challenges for the real-money gaming sector, adding, “That said, it’s also a tough day for our friends in the RMG industry. Many have built incredible businesses against the odds, created jobs, and brought gaming to millions. Their contributions shouldn’t be overlooked even as the industry transitions.”
Chadha further said he was “thrilled to see India now putting even more effort into the future we’ve been constructing.”
NODWIN Gaming co-founder and MD Akshat Rathee said the government's intent to recognise and promote esports is an encouraging step towards building a structured and globally competitive ecosystem.
"However, for this vision to truly materialise, it is critical that the terminology used in the bill, particularly the distinctions between esports, online gaming, online social gaming, and online money gaming, be clearly defined and uniformly understood.
"The absence of precise definitions has often led to ambiguity and conflation around the term 'esports'. Such overlaps can create confusion not just for regulators, but also for players, teams, investors, and organisers who are working hard to build this industry," he noted.
Animesh Agarwal, co-founder and CEO of S8UL, said by drawing a clear line between skill-based competitive gaming and betting, the bill safeguards the integrity of the ecosystem while opening doors for structured growth.
Esports is a sport built on skill, discipline and years of grind, he said, adding that with government recognition and the right infrastructure, India is poised to become a global powerhouse in esports and gaming culture.
"The focus must now be on developing infrastructure such as arenas, bootcamps, education programs, and scholarships to nurture the next generation of talent, whether competing on the world stage or shaping culture as gaming creators," he said.
What next?
The bill, which also recommends a regulator for e-sports, educational platforms and social games, needs to be further signed by the President of India to become law.
(With inputs from Bloomberg, PTI)
