Overview

• The draft establishes a formal framework to regulate online gaming platforms and sets penalties for gambling conducted through digital apps.
• Officials say it differentiates free-to-play from pay-to-play and skill-based from chance-based formats, and sources report curbs on celebrity or media promotion of illegal betting.
• The push follows a rise in fraud cases and intensified scrutiny of offshore operators, with investigators questioning celebrities over promotions.
• Existing steps include a 28% GST on online gaming since October 2023, a 30% tax on winnings from FY 2024–25, and the blocking of more than 1,400 betting and gambling sites since 2022.
• States remain the primary authority over betting and gambling under the Constitution, and the bill still requires parliamentary passage before its provisions can take effect.