The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 came into force on 1 May 2026. The President of India assented to the Act on 22 August 2025. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology notified the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026 on 22 April 2026. The notification triggered the Act's commencement. The Act is final and operative.
The Act prohibits all forms of online money games. The prohibition covers games of chance, games of skill, and any mix of the two. The Act prohibits advertisement, promotion, and facilitation of online money games. It recognises e-Sports as a legitimate competitive sport, distinct from money gaming. The Act establishes the Online Gaming Authority of India to license and supervise non-money online games. Penalties include monetary fines and imprisonment for advertising or operating prohibited services.
Domestic and offshore operators offering real-money fantasy sports, rummy, poker, and similar products to Indian users must withdraw. Payment service providers must block transactions tied to prohibited operators. Advertising platforms, including search and social media, face penalties for accepting promotional content for online money games. Banks and merchants risk derivative exposure if they continue to process operator receipts. e-Sports tournament organisers gain legal recognition and may apply for registration.
The Act covers all forms of online money games at the central level. Indian state-level laws on gambling continue to apply to offline activity. The Authority's licensing process for non-money games is in early roll-out. The Rules set procedural detail. Several operational thresholds remain to be issued by Authority circulars.
Licentium advises iGaming operators, fantasy sports platforms, e-Sports organisers, and payment providers on India's Online Gaming Act 2025. Where a matter sits outside our practice we coordinate with our partner network of Indian counsel. Contact us to discuss licensing or exit strategy. Work we undertake includes market exit planning, e-Sports registration support, payment chain risk reviews, and pre-litigation strategy on classification disputes.
Source: The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 (India), https://www.meity.gov.in/static/uploads/2025/10/8a7f103cefc68ed8aaa2ebc9a2ed7c13.pdf; Press Information Bureau, 'A New Era of Online Gaming Governance', https://www.pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=158400&ModuleId=3®=3&lang=1; confirmed 7 May 2026.
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