Bill to regulate money-based online gaming apps passes LS test
Online gaming apps, of the likes of the hugely popular Dream11, My11Circle, Howzat, SG11 Fantasy and many more are likely to take a hit with a new bill seeking the regulation of such apps getting passed by the Lok Sabha.
When Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minster for Electronics and Information Technology, presented the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, it breezed through with zero opposition during the Parliament’s ongoing monsoon session.
As the Opposition parties were busy raising slogans calling for a discussion on the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar, any debate on the bill seeking to regulate the online gaming apps did not happen. This made it easy for the government to push it through with no effort whatsoever.
Govt concerned over ill-effects of gaming apps
Ashwini Vaishnaw’s and the government’s move stem from the fact that real money based gaming and well as online betting could pave the way for financial losses and growth in addiction. This apart, the government feels that such apps could also turn out to be security threats. The administration believes that such money-based online games could promote money laundering and even terror funding.
Now with the bill easing its way to acceptance in the Lok Sabha, the government will now push towards getting it passed in the Rajya Sabha too. And when it does, it could become a legislation wherein facilitation or offering online money gaming would attract penalty of imprisonment of up to 3 years and/or a fine of up to Rs. 1 crore. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, also calls for a halt in advertisements of online money games. This also would facilitate asking banks and financial institutions not to transfer any amount of funds for such games.
Legislation just around the corner
As per a research report, the online gaming marketplace in Indian market for such gaming is set to be worth $3.6 billion by 2029. This is huge money indeed, and the government’s fears and the trouble shooting method seem to be treading the right path. It could be possible that online money gaming apps could be located on offshore terrain, and could pose a problem for law enforcement.
Apart from Dream11, My11Circle, Howzat and SG11 Fantasy, the other online gaming apps likely to be affected would include WinZO, Games24x7, Junglee Games, PokerBaazi, GamesKraft, and Nazara.
The government looks forward to getting it passed in the upper house too so that it could be sent to the President to sign and made into a legislation.
