Overview

• President Droupadi Murmu has given assent to the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, with a notification to set its effective date expected.
• Major operators including Dream Sports/Dream11, MPL, Gameskraft, Zupee, PokerBaazi, My11Circle and WinZO have stopped paid contests and deposits, while assuring users that withdrawals remain available.
• The law prohibits offering online money games and outlaws their advertising and payment facilitation, with penalties up to three years in jail and fines up to ₹1 crore for operators and up to two years and ₹50 lakh for promoters.
• Industry groups and companies are consulting lawyers on approaching the Supreme Court to challenge the ban, even as firms prepare emergency pivots and wind‑downs.
• The statute also recognises and promotes esports and tasks a new national authority to classify and register games, while the BCCI says it will follow the law and review sponsorships from gaming brands.