New Delhi: In a landmark move, the Indian Parliament has passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which bans all online games involving monetary transactions. The legislation, cleared swiftly by both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, is set to transform the country’s booming gaming industry, threatening the survival of popular platforms and raising concerns among investors and industry bodies.
The bill, introduced and passed in the Lok Sabha within just seven minutes, prohibits any form of real-money online gaming, including skill-based formats such as fantasy sports, poker, and rummy. It also bans advertisements and bars financial institutions from facilitating related transactions. Offenders face stringent penalties, including imprisonment of up to three years and fines ranging from one crore rupees to two crore rupees for repeat violations.
The government justified the bill as a step to protect youth from addiction, prevent financial losses, and curb fraud, money laundering, and potential national security risks. At the same time, it seeks to promote e-sports, educational games, and social gaming under a regulated framework.
The passage of the law has sent shockwaves through the stock market. Shares of Nazara Technologies plunged more than 21 percent in just two sessions, the steepest two-day fall in its history. Other gaming-related companies, including Delta Corp, also recorded sharp declines. The ban has particularly shaken fantasy gaming firms such as Dream11 and MPL, which were valued at billions of dollars and projected to expand rapidly over the coming years.
Industry representatives warned of severe consequences from the blanket ban. Associations including the All India Gaming Federation and Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports have flagged potential losses of up to 20,000 crore rupees in tax revenue, massive job losses, and the possibility of users shifting to unregulated offshore platforms. Critics argued that the legislation failed to distinguish between harmful forms of gambling and legitimate competitive gaming, thereby threatening the livelihoods of professional players, coaches, and content creators.
Despite the criticism, the bill received swift passage in Parliament and now awaits presidential assent, which is expected to be a formality. Once enacted, immediate shutdowns of real-money gaming apps are anticipated, with enforcement actions to follow.
India’s decision marks one of the most significant regulatory shifts in the global digital entertainment industry. While the government emphasizes safeguarding citizens and restructuring the sector for responsible growth, the sweeping nature of the ban has left industry leaders, investors, and millions of users uncertain about the future of online gaming in the country.