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EXTRAORDINARY
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PART II — Section 1
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PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
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MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
(Legislative Department)
New Delhi, the 22nd August, 2025/SBhirllaNvaon.a1 1300-, F19o4f72 0(S2a5ka)
The following Act of Parliament received the assent of the President on the
22nd August, 2025 and is hereby published for general information:—
THE PROMOTION AND REGULATION OF ONLINEGAMING
THE PROMOTION AND REGULATION OF ONLINE GAMING
BILL, 2025
ACT, 2025
(AS PASSED BY THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT)
No. 32 of 2025
A
[22nd August, 2025.]
BILL
An Act to promote and regulate the online gaming sector including e-sports,
to promote and regulate the online gaming sector including e-sports, educational
educational games and social gaming; to provide for the appointment of
games and social gaming; to provide for the appointment of an Authority for
an Authority for coordinated policy support, strategic development and
coordinated policy support, strategic development and regulatory oversight
regulatory oversight of the sector; to prohibit the offering, operation,
of the sector; to prohibit the offering, operation, facilitation, advertisement,
facilitation, advertisement, ptomotion and participation in online money
promotion and participation in online money games through any computer
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piunbcliidce nintatel rthesetr;e aton.d for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
WHEREAS the online gaming sector has rapidly evolved into one of the most
dynamic and fastest-growing segments of the digital and creative economy, offering
significant opportunities for innovation, cognitive development, employment
generation, technological advancement and global competitiveness;2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
AND WHEREAS India possesses a large and growing pool of young
professionals with technological capabilities and rapidly expanding domestic
market, which together enable the country to assume a leadership role in the global
online gaming value chain;
AND WHEREAS the online gaming ecosystem comprises diverse segments,
including e-sports, casual and social games, educational games and
online money games, and is currently operating in the absence of a dedicated
institutional and legal framework necessary for strategic coordination,
capacity building, common infrastructure, research and responsible innovation;
AND WHEREAS the lack of a coherent and enabling legal framework has
hindered the sector’s structured development and the promotion of responsible
gaming practices, requiring urgent policy intervention and support mechanisms;
AND WHEREAS the parallel proliferation of online money games accessible
through mobile phones, computers and the internet, and offering monetary returns
against user deposits has led to serious social, financial, psychological and public
health harms, particularly among young individuals and economically
disadvantaged groups;
AND WHEREAS such games often use manipulative design features, addictive
algorithms, bots and undisclosed agents, undermining fairness, transparency and
user protection, while promoting compulsive behaviour leading to financial ruin;
AND WHEREAS platforms offering online gaming system are often
aggressively marketed through pervasive advertising campaigns, including
celebrity and influencer endorsements, thereby amplifying their reach and
impact especially among the youth and vulnerable groups;
AND WHEREAS the unchecked expansion of online money gaming services
has been linked to unlawful activities including financial fraud, money-laundering,
tax evasion, and in some cases, the financing of terrorism, thereby posing
threats to national security, public order and the integrity of the State;
AND WHEREAS considering the deleterious and negative impact of online
money games on the individuals, families, society and the nation and given the
technical aspects including the very nature of the electronic medium used for
online money games, the algorithms applied and the national and transnational
networks involved therein;
AND WHEREAS many such services operate from offshore jurisdictions,
bypassing domestic laws, undermining state-level regulations, and presenting
significant enforcement challenges in terms of extra-territorial jurisdiction and
inter-State inconsistencies;
AND WHEREAS it is expedient in the public interest for the Union Government
to assume legislative competence over the online gaming sector to ensure the
creation of a secure, structured and innovation-friendly digital environment, while
addressing the associated risks to public health, consumer safety, public morality
and financial sovereignty;
AND WHEREAS it is necessary to clearly delineate and categorise the
various forms of online games and to provide a tailored legal framework to
govern each sub-sector of the industry appropriately.
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Seventy-sixth Year of the Republic of India
as follows:––
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
Short title, 1.(1) This Act may be called the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming
extent and
Act, 2025.
commencement.SEC. 1] THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY 3
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
(2)It extends to the whole of India and also applies to online money gaming
service offered within the territory of India or operated from outside the territory of
India.
(3) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by
notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
2.(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,–– Definitions.
(a) “advertisement” shall have the meaning as assigned to it in the
35 of 2019. Consumer Protection Act, 2019;
(b)“Authority” means an Authority constituted under section 8;
(c)“e-sport” means an online game which––
(i)is played as part of multi-sports events;
(ii)involves organised competitive events between individuals or
teams, conducted in multiplayer formats governed by predefined rules;
(iii) is duly recognised under the National Sports Governance
25 of 2025. Act, 2025, and registered with the Authority or agency under section 3;
(iv) has outcome determined solely by factors such as physical
dexterity, mental agility, strategic thinking or other similar skills of users
as players;
(v)may include payment of registration or participation fees solely
for the purpose of entering the competition or covering administrative
costs and may include performance-based prize money by the
player; and
(vi)shall not involve the placing of bets, wagers or any other stakes
by any person, whether or not such person is a participant, including any
winning out of such bets, wagers or any other stakes;
(d) “internet” means the combination of computer facilities and
electromagnetic transmission media, and related equipment and software,
comprising the interconnected worldwide network of computer networks that
transmits information based on a protocol for controlling such transmission;
(e)“notification” means a notification published in the Official Gazette
and the term “notify” shall be construed accordingly;
(f)“online game” means any game, which is played on an electronic or
a digital device and is managed and operated as a software through the internet
or any other kind of technology facilitating electronic communication;
(g)“online money game” means an online game, irrespective of whether
such game is based on skill, chance, or both, played by a user by paying fees,
depositing money or other stakes in expectation of winning which entails
monetary and other enrichment in return of money or other stakes; but shall
not include any e-sports;
(h)“online money gaming service” means a service offered by a person
for entering or playing the online money game;
(i)“online social game” means an online game which—
(i) does not involve staking of money or other stakes or
participation with the expectation of winning by way of monetary gain
in return of money or other stakes;4 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—
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_________________________________________________________________________________
(ii) may allow access through payment of a subscription fee or
one-time access fee, provided that such payment is not in the nature of a
stake or wager;
(iii) is offered solely for entertainment, recreation or
skill-development purposes; and
(iv)is not an online money game or e-sport;
(j) “other stakes” means anything recognised as equivalent or
convertible to money and includes credits, coins, token or objects or any other
similar thing, by whatever name called and whether it is real or virtual, which
is purchased by paying money directly or by indirect means or as part of, or in
relation to, an online game;
(k)“person” includes—
(i)an individual;
(ii)a Hindu undivided family;
(iii)a company;
(iv)a firm;
(v) an association of persons or a body of individuals, whether
incorporated or not;
(vi) the State; and
(vii)every artificial juristic person, not falling within any of the
preceding sub-clauses;
(l)“prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(m)“user” means any person who accesses or avails online game.
(2)Words and expressions used but not defined in this Act but defined in the
Information Technology Act, 2000 and rules made thereunder shall have the same 21 of 2000.
meaning as respectively assigned to them in that Act and the said rules.
CHAPTER II
DEVELOPMENT AND RECOGNITION
Recognition and 3. (1) The Central Government shall take steps as it considers necessary to
promotion of recognise and register e-sports with the Authority or agency, as the case may be, as
e-sport.
a legitimate form of competitive sport in India and to promote and develop e-sports.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of sub-section (1), such steps may
include—
(a) formation of guidelines and standards for the organisation and
conduct of e-sports events;
(b) establishment of training academies, research centres and other
institutions dedicated to advancement of e-sports;
(c)introduction of incentive schemes, awareness campaigns and public
outreach programmes to encourage innovation and establishment of new
enterprises to create e-sport technology platforms;
(d) coordination with State Governments and recognised sporting
federations for integration of e-sports within broader sporting policy
initiatives; and
(e) such other measures which are necessary to promote the sector, as
may be prescribed.SEC. 1] THE GAZETTE OF IND IA EXTRAORDINARY 5
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
4. (1) The Central Government shall take steps as it considers necessary to Recognition and
recognise, categorise and register online social games with the Authority or agency, development of
online social
as the case may be, and facilitate the development and availability of online social
games.
games for recreational and educational purposes.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of sub-section (1), such steps may
include—
(a)creation of mechanism for the registration of online social games;
(b)creation of platforms or programmes to support the development and
distribution of online social games;
(c) supporting initiatives aimed at increasing public access to safe and
age-appropriate social gaming content;
(d) undertaking awareness programmes to highlight the positive use of
social games for recreation, skill-development and digital literacy;
(e)coordination with State Governments and educational or recreational
institutions for promotion of social gaming as part of broader digital
engagement strategies; and
(f) such other measures which are necessary to promote the sector, as
may be prescribed.
CHAPTER III
PROHIBITION
5. No person shall offer, aid, abet, induce or otherwise indulge or engage in Prohibition of
the offering of online money game and online money gaming service. online money
game and online
money gaming
service.
6.No person shall make, cause to be made, aid, abet, induce, or otherwise be Prohibition of
involved in the making or causing to be made any advertisement, in any media advertisement
related to online
including electronic means of communication, which directly or indirectly promotes
money game.
or induces any person to play any online money game or indulge in any activity
promoting online money gaming.
7. No bank, financial institution, or any other person facilitating financial Prohibition of
transfer of fund.
transactions or authorisation of funds shall engage in, permit, aid, abet, induce or
otherwise facilitate any transaction or authorisation of funds towards payment for
any online money gaming service.
CHAPTER IV
AUTHORITY ON ONLINE GAMING
8. (1) The Central Government may, by notification, constitute an Authority Establishment of
consisting of a Chairperson and such number of other Members or designate any an Authority.
existing Authority or Authorities or any agency to assist it in performing any of the
functions under this Act.
(2) The Central Government may vest the Authority or agency, as the case
may be, with all or any of the following powers, namely:––
(a) to determine, on the receipt of an application from any person
offering an online game or on suo motu basis, whether a particular online game
is an online money game or otherwise, after making such inquiry as it deems
necessary;
(b)to recognise, categorise and register online games in such manner as
may be prescribed; and
(c)such other powers and functions as may be prescribed.6 THE GAZETTE OF IND IA EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
(3) Every person offering, organising or facilitating any online game shall
comply with the directions, orders, guidelines or codes of practice issued by the
Central Government or the Authority or agency in discharge of their functions under
this Act.
(4)The Central Government may prescribe the following, namely:––
(a) composition and qualification for appointment of Chairperson and
Members;
(b)salary, allowances payable to them and their term of office;
(c)disqualification for appointment and continuation as Chairperson and
Members;
(d)resignation by Members and filling of vacancy;
(e)proceedings of the Authority;
(f)officers and employees of the Authority;
(g)powers to be exercised by the Chairperson;
(h) handling of complaints and grievances related to online games
including manner of inquiry; and
(i)any other matter to further the objective of this Act.
(5) The Authority or agency, as the case may be, may respond to the
complaints relating to online games which are prejudicial to the interests of users,
forwarded either in writing or in electronic mode.
CHAPTER V
OFFENCES AND PENALTIES
Penalty for 9. (1) Any person who offers online money gaming service in contravention
contravention. of section 5 shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to
three years or with fine which may extend to one crore rupees or with both.
(2)Any person who makes or causes to make advertisement in any media, in
contravention of section 6, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which
may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to fifty lakh rupees or with
both.
(3) Any person who engages in any transaction or authorisation of funds in
contravention of section 7 shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which
may extend to three years or with fine which may extend to one crore rupees or with
both.
(4) If any person convicted of an offence under sub-section (1) or
sub-section (3) is again convicted of an offence under the same provision, he shall
be punished with imprisonment for the second and for every subsequent offence for
a term which shall not be less than three years, but may extend to five years and
shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than one crore rupees, but may
extend to two crore rupees.
(5) If any person convicted of an offence under sub-section (2) is again
convicted of an offence under the same provision, he shall be punished with
imprisonment for the second and for every subsequent offence for a term which
shall not be less than two years, but may extend to three years and shall also be liable
to fine which shall not be less than fifty lakh rupees, but may extend to one crore
rupees.SEC. 1] THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY 7
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
10. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Cognizance of
46 of 2023. Sanhita, 2023, offences under section 5 and section 7 shall be cognizable and offences.
non-bailable.
11. (1) Where an offence has been committed by a company, every person Offences by
companies.
who, at the time the offence was committed was in charge of, and was responsible
to, the company for the conduct of that part of the business of the company as well
as the company, shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.
(2)Nothing contained in sub-section (1) shall render any such person liable to
be proceeded against and punished accordingly under this Act, if he proves that the
offence was committed without his knowledge or that he had exercised all due
diligence to prevent the commission of such offence.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), where an offence
under this Act has been committed by a company and it is proved that the offence
has been committed with the consent or connivance of, or is attributable to any
neglect on the part of any director, manager, secretary or other officer of the
company, such director, manager, secretary or other officer shall be deemed to be
guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished
accordingly:
Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall hold an independent director or
a non-executive director of a company who is not involved in the actual decision
making, liable for such offence.
Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, the expressions—
(a)“company” means a body corporate, and includes—
(i)a firm; and
(ii) an association of persons or a body of individuals whether
incorporated or not; and
(b)“director”, in relation to—
(i)a firm, means a partner in the firm;
(ii)any association of persons or a body of individuals, means any
member controlling its affairs thereof.
12.(1) Any person who fails to comply with any direction or order issued by Non-compliance
the Central Government or the Authority or agency under sub-section (3) of by any other
person.
section 8 shall be liable to penalty which may extend to ten lakh rupees or may
include suspension or cancellation of registration, and prohibition from offering,
facilitating or promoting such games for such period as may be determined by the
Central Government or the Authority.
(2) No action under sub-section (1) shall be taken without giving an
opportunity of being heard.
CHAPTER VI
MISCELLANEOUS
13. Every person shall comply with any direction issued by the Central Compliance with
Government in relation to online money gaming services. direction of
Central
Government.
14.In case of failure to comply with the provisions of section 5, section 6 and Blocking of
section 7, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or in section 69A of the online money
gaming service.
21 of 2000. Information Technology Act, 2000, any information generated, transmitted,
received or hosted in any computer resource in relation to online money gaming
service shall be liable to be blocked for access by the public in such manner as
provided in that Act.8 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Power to 15.Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or in any other law for the
investigate time being in force, the Central Government may, by notification, authorise any
offences.
officer or class of officers of the Central Government, Authority or State
Government to exercise the powers of investigation in respect of offences under
this Act.
Search and 16.(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha
seizure of Sanhita, 2023, any officer authorised under section 15 may enter any place, whether 46 of 2023.
property.
physical or digital, and search and arrest without warrant any person found therein
who is reasonably suspected of having committed or of committing or of being
about to commit any offence under this Act.
(2)Where any person is arrested under sub-section (1) by an officer other than
a police officer as referred to in sub-section (1), such officer shall, without
unnecessary delay, take or send the person arrested before a magistrate having
jurisdiction in the case or before the officer-in-charge of a police station.
(3) The provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 shall, 46 of 2023.
subject to the provisions of this section, apply, so far as may be, in relation to any
entry, search or arrest made under this section.
Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, “any place” shall include any
premises, building, vehicle, computer resource, virtual digital space, electronic
records or electronic storage device and the officer may, if necessary, gain access to
such computer resource, virtual digital space, electronic records or electronic
storage device by overriding any access control or security code, where such code
thereof is not available.
Protection of 17.No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against the Central
action taken in Government or the Authority or any officer of the Central Government or any
good faith.
member, officer or other employees of the Authority for anything which is done in
good faith or intended to be done under this Act or the rules made thereunder.
Act not in 18.The provisions of this Act shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of
derogation of the provisions of any other law for the time being in force and in case of any
any other law.
inconsistency of this Act with any other Act, the provisions of this Act shall, to the
extent of such inconsistency, have overriding effect over any such Act.
Power of Central 19.(1) The Central Government may, by notification, make rules to carry out
Government to the provisions of this Act.
make rules.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing powers, such rules
may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:––
(a) such other measures as may be necessary to promote the sector
relating to e-sports under clause (e) of sub-section (2) of section 3;
(b) such other measures as may be necessary to promote the sector
relating to online social gaming under clause (f) of sub-section (2) of
section 4;
(c)the manner of recognising, categorising and registering online games
under clause (b) of sub-section (2) of section 8;
(d)such other powers and functions relating to powers of the Authority
or agency under clause (c) of sub-section (2) of section 8;
(e)any other matter which is required to be, or may be, prescribed, or in
respect of which provision is to be or may be made by rules.SEC. 1] THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY 9
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
(3)Every rule made by the Central Government shall be laid, as soon as may
be after it is made, before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total
period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more
successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following
the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any
modification in the rule, or both Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the
rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the
case may be; so, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without
prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.
20.(1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to any provisions of this Act, the Power to remove
difficulties.
Central Government may, by order published in the Official Gazette, make such
provisions not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act as may be necessary or
expedient for removing the difficulty.
(2)No order under sub-section (1) shall be made after the expiry of a period
of two years from the date of the commencement of this Act.
(3) Every order made under this section shall, as soon as may be after it is
made, be laid before each House of Parliament.
—————
DR. RAJIV MANI,
Secretary to the Govt. of India.
UPLOADED BY THE MANAGER, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA PRESS, MINTO ROAD, NEW DELHI–110002
AND PUBLISHED BY THE CONTROLLER OF PUBLICATIONS, DELHI–110054.
MGIPMRND—192GI(S4)—22-8-2025.