In a sweeping move that could upend India’s booming fantasy sports and online gaming sector, Parliament on Thursday approved the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, imposing a blanket ban on games played with money.
The legislation, cleared by the Rajya Sabha days after passage in the Lok Sabha, prohibits “harmful” real-money gaming services, advertisements, and related financial transactions. Federal IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw defended the ban, stating, “It is the duty of the government and parliament to take strict action against social evils which keep erupting time and again.” The bill will become law once it receives presidential assent, considered a procedural formality.
The ban comes as a shock to an industry projected to touch $3.6 billion by 2029, backed by investors such as Tiger Global and Peak XV Partners. Prominent platforms like Dream11 (valued at $8 billion), Mobile Premier League ($2.3 billion), Games24x7, Zupee, and WinZO face the prospect of shutdown. Executives warn of imminent layoffs and withdrawal of billions in foreign investment.
The law prescribes stringent penalties — up to three years’ imprisonment and fines — for offering real-money gaming services post-enactment.
Gaming companies are weighing legal challenges, with industry insiders confirming consultations with senior lawyers about moving the Supreme Court. Arguments are likely to focus on the lack of stakeholder consultation and the classification of skill-based games such as poker and rummy, which have previously been treated differently under Indian jurisprudence.
Apps like Dream11, which allow users to build virtual cricket teams and compete in “prize pools” for as little as Rs. 29, have surged in popularity thanks to heavy marketing and celebrity endorsements, particularly from leading cricketers.
While the government cites financial and psychological harm to justify the crackdown, the sudden prohibition has left the gaming ecosystem uncertain about its future, raising questions over job losses, investment security, and India’s approach to regulating emerging digital sectors.
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