India's lower house passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, to ban real-money online games nationwide, including those based on skill or chance. The bill prohibits advertisements and associated financial transactions for real-money games and restricts banks and financial institutions from facilitating such transactions. Penalties include up to three years imprisonment and fines up to ₹10 million for operators, and up to two years imprisonment or fines up to ₹5 million for celebrities who promote these games. The legislation promotes esports and casual games without monetary stakes. Government justification cites public welfare and suicides linked to money losses, while critics warn the law may push players to offshore illegal betting and face legal challenges under Article 19(1)(g).
The proposed legislation restricts banks and other financial institutions from allowing transactions for real-money games in the country. Anyone offering these games could face imprisonment for up to three years, a fine of up to ₹10 million (approximately $115,000), or both. Additionally, celebrities promoting such games on any media platform could be liable for up to two years of imprisonment or a fine of ₹5 million (roughly $57,000), the bill states.
'In this bill, priority has been given to the welfare of society and to avoid a big evil that is creeping into society,' India's IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in parliament while introducing the bill. Vaishnaw said the decision to bring the legislation was to address several incidents of harm, including cases where individuals reportedly died by suicide after losing money in games. However, industry stakeholders largely attribute these incidents to offshore betting and gambling apps, which many believe will not be addressed by this legislation.
Collection
[
|
...
]