New bill to Prohibit & regulate online gaming tabled in Lok Sabha

STC NEWS MONITORING DESK
NEW DELHI, AUGUST 20 (STC): A bill seeking to prohibit and regulate online gaming was introduced today by the union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in the Lok Sabha.
“The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 strikes a balanced path—encouraging innovation and youth engagement through safe and positive online gaming, while firmly prohibiting harmful online money games,” the official statement said.
Here are some important things about the proposed law:

• The bill prohibits offering, operating, or facilitating online money games, irrespective of whether based on skill, chance, or both. The bill has also proposed a blanket ban on advertising and promotion of money games across all forms of media.
• ⁠The Bill proposes a ban on financial transactions linked to online money games; banks and payment systems are barred from processing such payments.
• ⁠The bill also calls for promoting eSports and online social games. E-sports are recognised as a legitimate form of competitive sport in India. The Ministry of Sports will frame guidelines and standards for conducting e-sports events.
• ⁠The central government will establish a national-level Authority or designate any existing Authority or Authorities or any agency for oversight. The authority’s functions include categorising and registering online games, determining whether a game qualifies as a money game, and handling complaints and grievances related to online games.
• ⁠Those found guilty of offering or facilitating online money gaming can lead to imprisonment of up to 3 years and/or a fine of up to ₹1 crore. Advertising money games can lead to imprisonment up to 2 years and/or fine up to ₹50 lakh. Those found guilty of financial transactions related to money games can face imprisonment for up to 3 years and/or a fine of up to ₹1 crore.
• ⁠Companies and their officers will be held liable for offences under the Act, unless they prove due diligence. Independent directors or non-executive directors not involved in decision-making are protected, according to the proposed law.
• ⁠Union government may authorise officers to investigate, search, and seize digital or physical property linked to offences. Officers empowered to enter, search, and arrest without warrant in certain cases of suspected offences. The provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 apply to investigations under the Act.
• ⁠The bill empowers the Central Government to make rules for a)Promotion of e-sports and social gaming, b) Recognition, Categorisation and registration of online games, c) Powers and functioning of the Authority and d) any other matter required or permitted to be prescribed under this Act.
• ⁠The law protects families from predatory online money gaming practices. It also positions India as a leader in responsible gaming innovation and digital policy-making, the government said.

(Straight Talk Communications)