Online Gaming Bill 2025 Prohibits Online Money Game and Service

The Union Government has introduced the ‘Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025‘ in Lok Sabha. The Bill seeks to promote and regulate esports, educational and social games while completely prohibiting the offering, operation, facilitation, advertisement, promotion and participation in online money games. Check out the full information about Online Gaming Bill 2025 below.

Online Gaming Bill 2025: Key highlights

“E-sport” means an online game played as part of multi-sport events and involves organized competitive events between individuals or teams, conducted in multiplayer formats governed by pre-defined rules and recognized under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025.
Outcomes of e-sports are determined solely by players’ skills such as physical dexterity, mental agility, or strategic thinking. Participation may involve entry fees and performance-based prizes, but no bets, wagers, or gambling are allowed.
The Central Government will take necessary steps to recognize and register e-sports as a legitimate competitive sport in India and to promote its growth. These steps may include setting guidelines for events, establishing training and research institutions, introducing incentives and awareness programs, coordinating with State Governments and sports federations, and implementing other measures to support the development of the sector.
“Online money game” means any online game, based on skill, chance, or both, where a user pays fees, deposits money, or stakes something with the expectation of winning monetary or other rewards. This definition does not include e-sports.
No person shall offer, promote, or engage in online money games or online money gaming services. Similarly, no person shall create, cause, or be involved in any advertisement in any media, including electronic communication, that directly or indirectly encourages participation in online money games or promotes online money gaming.

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Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming:
“The government’s intent to recognize and promote esports, as highlighted in the recent bill, is an encouraging step towards building a structured and globally competitive ecosystem. However, for this vision to truly materialize, it is critical that the terminology used in the bill, particularly the distinctions between esports, online gaming, online social gaming, and online money gaming be clearly defined and uniformly understood. The absence of precise definitions has often led to ambiguity and conflation around the term “esports”. Such overlaps can create confusion not just for regulators, but also for players, teams, investors, and organizers who are working hard to build this industry.

Clear and consistent definitions will create a strong regulatory foundation that ensures investor confidence, long-term stability, and sustainable growth. It will allow every stakeholder from athletes and teams to platforms and video game publishers to operate with clarity and confidence, knowing the industry’s guardrails are well established. This alignment between government intent and regulatory clarity will ensure that India doesn’t just participate in the global esports movement, but establishes itself as one of its leading powerhouses.”

Animesh “Thug” Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO, S8UL:
“This bill marks a historic turning point for Indian esports. By drawing a clear line between skill-based competitive gaming and betting, it safeguards the integrity of our ecosystem while opening doors for structured growth. Esports is a sport- built on skill, discipline and years of grind. With government recognition and the right infrastructure, India is now poised to become a global powerhouse in esports and gaming culture.

The focus must now be on developing infrastructure such as arenas, bootcamps, education programs, and scholarships to nurture the next generation of talent, whether competing on the world stage or shaping culture as gaming creators.”

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