The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a landmark bill banning online money games across India, signaling a significant crackdown on real-money gaming activities on digital platforms. The legislation, once passed by Parliament, will prohibit all forms of online games where players wager or gamble with money, aiming to curb addiction, financial losses, and related cybercrimes.

The bill, titled the Promotion & Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, explicitly forbids the offering, promotion, or facilitation of online games involving monetary stakes. Advertisements of such games will also face stringent restrictions. The law empowers authorities to impose fines up to ₹1 crore and imprisonment for up to three years on those found violating the ban.

This sweeping ban targets real-money gaming, a sector that presently generates around ₹27,000 crore annually and constitutes a major revenue source for several online gaming companies including Dream11, MPL, and WinZO. Industry representatives have expressed concerns over the blanket prohibition, requesting the government to consider more refined regulations instead of an outright ban, warning that it could push users toward unregulated and illegal gambling networks.

Government officials cited the rise in gaming-related addiction and suicides, particularly among the youth, as primary reasons behind this decisive move. The bill is designed to also tackle associated issues like money laundering and misuse of digital payment systems. Upon enactment, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology will oversee the implementation and enforcement of these measures, aiming to protect consumers while preserving the integrity of the digital gaming ecosystem. The bill’s passage in Parliament is eagerly awaited, as it promises to reshape India’s rapidly expanding online gaming industry and reinforce the government’s commitment to addressing gambling-related risks through comprehensive legislation.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from India Today.