Both Houses of Parliament have passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, a landmark legislation aimed at fostering India’s gaming sector while safeguarding society from the harmful effects of money-based online games.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reacting to the development, said the Bill reflects the government’s commitment to making India a global hub for gaming, innovation, and creativity. “It will encourage e-sports and online social games. At the same time, it will save our society from the harmful effects of online money games,” the Prime Minister posted on social media platform X.

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, who piloted the Bill, said it takes a “balanced approach” — promoting e-sports and healthy online gaming, while prohibiting formats that could negatively impact the middle class and youth.

The Bill seeks to clearly distinguish between skill-based e-sports and online social games, which will be encouraged and supported, and money-intensive online games, which have been linked to financial distress and addiction.

The legislation has come at a time when India’s online gaming industry has witnessed rapid growth, attracting significant venture capital investment. However, concerns have risen over gambling-like mechanics in money-based games, which have led to mounting debts and psychological harm among young users.

With the new law in place, the government aims to build a regulated and transparent online gaming ecosystem, fostering innovation while curbing exploitation.