India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) notified the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026 on 22 April 2026. The rules entered into force on 1 May 2026, implementing the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 (PROG Act). They establish a regulatory regime covering game classification, operator registration, user protection, and enforcement, applying to all online gaming intermediaries providing services to Indian users.
The rules classify online games into three categories under the PROG Act. E-sports are competitive skill-based games recognised as sports by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Online social games are primarily skill-based entertainment products. Online money games are games involving financial stakes. Online money games are prohibited in their entirety, including financial transactions and platform operations. The rules establish the Online Gaming Authority of India, with members drawn from MeitY, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and the Ministry of Law and Justice.
Online gaming platforms operating in India or providing access to Indian users must register games under the applicable category and implement mandatory user protections: age verification, parental controls, time limits, a two-tier grievance redressal mechanism, and counselling support. Platforms offering e-sports or online social games must comply with registration requirements and applicable safeguards. Foreign operators providing access to Indian users through app stores or internet services fall within scope regardless of their place of incorporation.
Enforcement proceedings are conducted digitally and must conclude within 90 days of initiation. Penalties are calibrated to the gravity of the violation, losses suffered by users, recurrence, and financial gain from non-compliance. Appeals proceed to the Secretary of MeitY following two lower tiers of resolution. Open questions remain about whether skill-game operators previously classified under the Information Technology Act 2000 intermediary regime require full re-registration under the PROG Act.
We may advise online gaming operators and digital entertainment businesses on regulatory strategy for the Indian market, including game classification analysis and compliance with MeitY registration and user protection requirements. We have a partner network with India-specialist regulatory counsel. Contact us to assess your platform against the rules in force from 1 May 2026. Work we undertake includes online gaming licensing, jurisdictional analysis for cross-border operators, iGaming regulatory compliance, user protection policy design, and enforcement risk assessment.