The new law bans fantasy sports, poker and rummy platforms.
India.- The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 came into force today, banning online real money games including fantasy sports, poker, and rummy. IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw defended the legislation, say that the act “addresses critical social harms, including suicides linked to gambling losses, money laundering, and terror financing.”
Major platforms like Dream11, Games24x7, MPL, and WinZO have suspended real-money operations with some pivoting to ad-supported free-to-play models, esports tournaments and engagement-driven content. Industry leaders, however, have criticised the law’s broad scope. “The ban disregards judicial precedents classifying games like rummy as skill-based, not gambling,” said a spokesperson for the All India Gaming Federation, arguing it was enacted without sufficient stakeholder input.
The real-money gaming sector was estimated to employ over 200,000 people across more than 400 startups and contributed USD2.3bn in taxes. Companies like MPL and Baazi Games have announced layoffs, and industry experts have warned that the ban could stifle innovation and deter investment in India’s digital economy.
Some argue that prior regulations, such as 2023’s ethical advertising and grievance redressal frameworks, could have addressed concerns without a blanket prohibition. The Supreme Court is to hear challenges to the Act’s constitutionality from companies like Head Digital Works (A23), though a hearing date remains pending.
The new law bans fantasy sports, poker and rummy platforms. India.- The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 came into force today, banning online real money games including…
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