Guwahati: Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday introduced The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha, drawing protests from opposition members.
The House, briefly chaired by PC Mohan, was adjourned until 2 PM soon after the Bill was tabled.
The legislation, approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday, seeks to ban online games with a monetary component, citing concerns over financial losses, addiction, and suicides among children and youth.
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Under the Bill, platforms offering such games could face up to three years of imprisonment or fines of Rs 1 crore, while advertisers risk up to two years in jail or Rs 50 lakh in fines. Repeat offences may attract three to five years’ imprisonment with higher fines. Banks and financial institutions facilitating transactions for online money games will also be liable.
The Bill does not criminalize players, treating them as victims rather than offenders. It also proposes the creation of a statutory regulatory authority to determine which games qualify as online money games, with mandatory registration and compliance for all platforms.
An online money game is defined as one in which users pay fees, deposit money, or stake items with the expectation of winning money or stakes, regardless of whether the game is based on skill, chance, or both. The Bill explicitly excludes eSports and casual or skill-based games without monetary stakes.
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Officials said the legislation aims to address fragmented regulations, curb gambling-related financial exploitation, protect mental health, and prevent illicit activities such as money laundering. Simultaneously, the Bill seeks to promote India’s eSports ecosystem, encouraging innovation, startup growth, and global competitiveness.
The online gaming industry has expressed strong opposition, warning that the Bill could destroy over 2 lakh jobs, force the closure of 400+ companies, and drive players to illegal platforms.
Industry bodies highlighted that online skill gaming has grown into a Rs 2 lakh crore sector, generating Rs 31,000 crore in annual revenue and contributing over Rs 20,000 crore in taxes, with a gamer base of over 50 crore users in 2024 and significant foreign investment.