India's Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025
In 2025, the Government of India introduced a major law to reshape the country’s online gaming landscape. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, draws a clear legal line between permitted digital games and prohibited online money gambling.
This page explains what was legal before, what is allowed now, and whether offshore gambling sites remain an option.
What Was Legal Before?
Before this Bill, Online gaming laws were fragmented. Each state had its own rules, with no single national regulator in place.
Some courts allowed “games of skill” like fantasy sports and rummy, while others imposed bans or restrictions.
Because of these cross-country variances, online money-gaming platforms operated in legal grey areas. Many claimed legality based on skill and were brazen enough to use heavy advertising and celebrity endorsements.
Another side effect was the flourishing of offshore gambling sites. There was no common regulatory body to govern these sites, so they often escaped Indian enforcement.
What Gambling Is Available Now In India?
The Bill bans all online money games, including:
- Online casinos
- Online sports betting
- Fantasy sports involving entry fees and winnings
- Skill-based games played for money
- Poker, rummy, teen patti, and similar games
- Any game involving:
- Deposits
- Entry fees as stakes
- Virtual tokens convertible to money
- Expectation of monetary gain
This ban applies:
- Across all Indian states
- To Indian and foreign platforms
- Regardless of whether the game claims to be “skill-based”
What Is Allowed and Encouraged
eSports
Allowed if they:
- The games are skill-based and competitive
- No betting or wagering permitted
- Allow only entry fees for participation/admin costs
- Offer prize money based on performance
- Are registered and recognized by the Authority
Online Social & Casual Games
Allowed if they:
- Do not involve money stakes
- May charge subscriptions or one-time access fees
- Are for entertainment, recreation, or education
Educational & Skill-Development Games
- Fully permitted
- Actively supported by government policy
Are Offshore Gambling Sites an Option In India?
No. Offshore gambling is explicitly targeted and prohibited. The Bill directly addresses foreign and offshore platforms.
The government now has the legal authority to block websites and mobile gambling apps, disable payment channels, investigate cross-border operations, and arrest or prosecute facilitators.
Financial institutions are prohibited from processing online gambling-related payments, authorizing transactions, or supporting money flow to gambling platforms in any way.
Using offshore gambling sites exposes users and facilitators to serious legal risk.
Enforcement and Penalties
Criminal Penalties
- Operating online money games
- Up to 3 years imprisonment
- Fine up to ₹1 crore
- Advertising or promoting gambling
- Up to 2 years imprisonment
- Fine up to ₹50 lakh
- Payment facilitation
- Up to 3 years imprisonment
Repeat offences carry mandatory minimum jail terms and higher fines. Offences are cognizable and non-bailable.
Powers Given to Authorities
- Warrantless searches and arrests
- Blocking of apps, websites, and digital content
- Investigation of digital platforms and payment trails