The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 was passed in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday (August 21, 2025), completing its journey through both Houses of Parliament and the Union Cabinet in less than 72 hours. The Bill now awaits President Droupadi Murmu’s assent to officially become law, paving the way for an immediate ban on real money games (RMGs) across the country.
The new legislation poses a direct threat to leading online gaming firms such as Dream11, MPL, and PokerBaazi, which rely heavily on pay-to-play, stakes-based models as their primary source of revenue.
Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, speaking in the Upper House, compared the issue to chit fund scams, stressing the government’s duty to curb social malpractices. “Problems due to online money games have destroyed several families. This law is a necessary step,” he said, urging bipartisan support.
Quick Enforcement Planned
Unlike other major IT laws such as the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and the IT Rules, 2021, which underwent lengthy consultations, the government emphasized that a prohibition cannot be delayed. “With a prohibition, consultations are not possible. This Bill will be enforced immediately after enactment,” Vaishnaw noted.
The government also clarified that ministries including Youth Affairs and Sports and Information and Broadcasting will work towards promoting e-sports as a regulated and safe alternative to money-based gaming.
Industry Impact and Market Reaction
The Bill has shaken India’s real money gaming sector, with several companies appealing for relief. Industry players, including Probo, criticized the move, calling it “unfortunate” and announcing suspension of its money-gaming products.
Meanwhile, stock market reactions reflected investor concerns. Nazara Technologies Ltd., which invested over $122 million (₹800 crore) in PokerBaazi’s parent Moonshine Technologies, saw its shares dip 2% on Thursday and nearly 15% since the Bill was introduced. The company clarified that it has “no direct exposure to RMG businesses” and only a minority stake in PokerBaazi.
Similarly, Delta Corp Ltd., the casino and gaming company that owns poker platform Adda52, witnessed its shares fall by 3.14% on the same day.
With a short notification expected soon after Presidential assent, the Bill is set to bring an overnight transformation in India’s online gaming industry, effectively dismantling the multi-billion-dollar RMG ecosystem.