5 Things Gamers Need to Know About India’s Online Gaming Rules

In August 2025, India enacted the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 to regulate the rapidly growing online gaming industry. The law responds to concerns around addiction, financial losses, misleading designs, and offshore real-money gaming platforms. While it promotes safe and skill-based gaming such as e-sports and educational games, it takes a strict stance against online money games involving wagering or stakes.

 
1.  What games are covered under the law?

An online game includes any digital game played using electronic devices over the internet. The law separates these into:

• E-sports: competitive, skill-based online games where outcomes depend on strategy, reflexes, or teamwork not chance, like League of Legends, Valorant, Counter-Strike 2, BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India), Free Fire Max, Fortnite, Call of Duty: Mobile, Pokémon UNITE etc. They are recognised as legitimate sporting activities and must comply with the National Sports Governance Act, 2025. E-sports may charge participation fees and award prizes, but no betting or wagering is allowed.
• Online social games: Played purely for entertainment, recreation, or learning. They may charge subscription or access fees but cannot involve stakes or monetary winnings. These include casual games, puzzle apps like Wordle,Sudoku apps, Candy Crush Saga, Ludo King (free/social version), Brain Test, Duolingo, Chess.com (free play mode), 8 Ball Pool (non-cash mode) and educational platforms.
• Online money games: games where players deposit money or stakes with the expectation of winning money or valuable rewards. This applies regardless of whether the game is based on skill or chance. Popular examples include real-money fantasy sports, card games, or betting-style apps like Dream11, My11Circle, MPL (Mobile Premier League), RummyCircle, PokerBaazi, Junglee Rummy, A23 (Ace2Three), Adda52, WinZO (real-money mode)

The Act completely prohibits online money games. Offering, operating, facilitating, advertising, or enabling financial transactions for such games is illegal. This ban applies to both Indian and foreign platforms that target users in India

     2. What does this mean for gamers?

If you play e-sports or casual and educational games, the law supports and protects you. You can expect safer platforms, clearer rules, and government-backed promotion of e-sports. However, if you participate in real-money gaming—such as wagering on fantasy leagues or card games for cash—that activity is now illegal

     3. How does the law regulate gaming platforms?

Gaming platforms offering e-sports or social games must register with a designated authority and follow ethical guidelines. Platforms offering or promoting money games can be blocked, shut down, or penalised. Banks and payment providers are also barred from processing transactions linked to money games.

The Act sets up an Authority to oversee online gaming. The Authority can classify games, register compliant platforms, issue guidelines, handle user complaints, and investigate violations. Gamers can file complaints electronically if they are misled or harmed by a platform.

    4. What happens if you break this law?

Offering or facilitating online money games can lead to jail time  of up to 2 years and/or a fine of up to Rupees Fifty lakh, with harsher punishment for repeat offences.

Advertising banned games, including celebrity endorsements, is also punishable. Companies and their responsible officers can be held liable.

    5. How does this law affect advertising and payments?

All advertisements for online money games are prohibited across media. Banks, payment gateways, and financial institutions are barred from enabling transactions related to such games. Non-compliant websites and apps can be blocked under existing information technology laws.