Overview

• President Droupadi Murmu has signed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, with the law to take effect upon a forthcoming government notification.
• Major operators including Dream11/Dream Sports, MPL, Gameskraft, Games24x7, PokerBaazi, WinZO, Zupee and Probo have suspended paid play and deposits, while keeping withdrawals open and assuring users about fund safety.
• The law outlaws offering, promoting or facilitating online money games, bars banks and payment intermediaries from processing related transactions, and bans advertising, with penalties up to three years in jail and fines up to Rs 1 crore; endorsers face up to two years and Rs 50 lakh.
• Industry groups and companies are preparing legal challenges that could reach the Supreme Court, even as firms pivot or shut money‑gaming units and warn of job and investment losses, and regulators move to enforce through payment blocks and IT Act powers.
• Esports and non‑monetary social or educational games are set to be recognised and regulated by a new national authority tasked with classifying games and handling grievances.