Online Gaming Crackdown: Full List of Apps That May Be Banned in India
Explained India’s Gaming Bill Passed List of Gaming Apps which may get banned
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, passed by the Indian Parliament, is a landmark legislation aimed at regulating the online gaming sector in India.
It seeks to promote e-sports and social gaming while imposing a blanket ban on real-money gaming due to concerns over addiction, financial losses, fraud, and security risks.
Below is a detailed breakdown of the facts, timeline, affected apps, penalties, and other key details based on available information.
Facts About the Online Gaming Bill, 2025
Objective:Promote E-sports and Social Gaming:
The bill recognizes e-sports as a legitimate sport, providing government support for training, awareness campaigns, and integration with broader sports policies.
It also promotes non-monetary social and educational games.
Ban Real-Money Gaming:
The legislation prohibits all online games involving monetary stakes, regardless of whether they are based on skill or chance, to address addiction, financial distress, money laundering, and national security concerns.
Player Protection:
Focuses on safeguarding vulnerable populations, especially youth, from predatory gaming practices, financial fraud, and psychological harm.
Key Provisions:
Establishment of a National Gaming Authority:
A central regulatory body, referred to as the National e-Sports Authority or Online Gaming Authority, will oversee the categorization, registration, and monitoring of online games.
It will issue guidelines, handle complaints, and ensure compliance.
Ban on Financial Transactions:
Banks and financial institutions are prohibited from processing transactions related to real-money gaming.
Advertising Restrictions:
Advertisements promoting real-money gaming platforms are banned.
Consumer Safeguards:
The bill emphasizes responsible gaming, KYC norms, and protection against fraud and addiction.
Security Concerns:
Addresses risks like money laundering, terror financing, and misuse of gaming platforms for illegal activities.
Scope:
The bill applies to all online games but explicitly excludes e-sports and non-monetary social or educational games from the ban.
It eliminates the distinction between games of skill and games of chance, imposing a comprehensive ban on all real-money games, including fantasy sports, poker, rummy, and lotteries.
Industry Impact:
The Indian online gaming market, valued at $3.7 billion in 2025 and projected to reach $9.1 billion by 2029, relies heavily on real-money gaming (86% of revenue).
The ban threatens significant economic disruption, including job losses and reduced foreign investment.
The sector supports over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs and has attracted over ₹25,000 crore in foreign investments.
Exemptions:
Players are not penalized, as the bill frames them as victims rather than perpetrators.
Enforcement targets operators, advertisers, and financial intermediaries.
Timeline of the Online Gaming Bill, 2025
Pre-2025 Context:
October 2023:
A 28% GST was imposed on online gaming revenues, and a 30% tax on net winnings was introduced for the financial year 2024–25.
December 2023:
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita criminalized unauthorized betting with penalties of up to seven years in prison.
2022–February 2025:
Over 1,400 betting and gambling websites and apps were blocked by the government.
August 19, 2025:
The Union Cabinet approved the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025.
August 20, 2025:
The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, amidst opposition protests.
It was passed in the Lok Sabha by a voice vote without debate due to disruptions by opposition members on unrelated issues.
August 21, 2025:
The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha by a voice vote, completing its legislative approval during the Parliament’s monsoon session.
Post-Passage (Expected):
The government will issue an official Gazette notification to formalize the law.
Detailed rules and regulations will be framed, covering enforcement mechanisms, the formation of the regulatory authority, KYC norms, advertising codes, and penalties.
The bill is likely to undergo further debates and potential legal challenges from the industry, with implementation expected within months.
The bill’s blanket ban on real-money gaming directly impacts major Indian online gaming companies, particularly those offering fantasy sports, poker, rummy, and other real-money formats.
Apps Likely to Be Affected by the Online Gaming Bill 2025
The Bill targets real-money gaming (RMG) platforms—whether skill-based or chance-based—if they involve monetary stakes.
Here's a breakdown of major apps that may face bans or heavy restrictions:
Key platforms likely to be affected include:
Dream11 –
A fantasy sports platform where users create teams and win money based on real match outcomes.
Likely to be banned under the new law.
My11Circle –
Similar to Dream11, focused on fantasy cricket. Also expected to be banned.
Games24x7:
Operates RummyCircle and My11Circle.
WinZO –
Offers multiple games with real-money stakes. Falls directly under the ban category.
GamesKraft –
Known for RummyCulture and other RMG offerings. Will be affected.
KheloFantasy:
A fantasy sports platform.
MPL (Mobile Premier League) –
Offers fantasy sports and casual games. The fantasy/RMG segment will be banned; casual games may survive.
Junglee Games –
Offers rummy and poker with real-money options. Will be banned.
99Games:
Another player in the real-money gaming space.
These companies, collectively valued at over ₹2 lakh crore, face an existential crisis, as the ban could lead to closures, job losses, and a shift of players to illegal offshore platforms.
Industry bodies like the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), E-Gaming Federation (EGF), and Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) have warned of severe economic fallout.
Penalties
Under the Online Gaming Bill, 2025The bill imposes stringent penalties to enforce the ban on real-money gaming, targeting operators, advertisers, and financial intermediaries.
Key penalties include:
For Operators and Facilitators:First Offense: Up to 3 years imprisonment and/or fines up to ₹1 crore.
Repeat Offenses: Enhanced penalties, including 3–5 years imprisonment and fines up to ₹2 crore.
Offences under key sections are cognizable and non-bailable.
For Advertisers and Promoters:
Up to 2 years imprisonment and/or fines up to ₹50 lakh for promoting or advertising real-money gaming platforms.
For Financial Intermediaries:Similar penalties (up to 2 years imprisonment and/or fines up to ₹50 lakh) for facilitating transactions related to real-money gaming.
Banks and financial institutions are barred from processing such transactions.
Corporate Accountability:
Company executives, including directors and managers, are personally liable for violations unless they prove due diligence.
Independent or non-executive directors not involved in decision-making are exempt.
Platform Blocking:
Offending platforms can be blocked under the provisions of the IT Act, 2000.
Investigative Powers:
Authorized officers can investigate, search, and seize digital or physical property linked to offences.
Officers are empowered to enter, search, and arrest without a warrant in certain cases, with investigations governed by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
The government estimates that 45 crore Indians lose ₹20,000 crore annually through real-money gaming, with social costs like addiction and debt.
The ban sacrifices significant tax revenues (over ₹20,000 crore annually) in favor of public welfare.
The industry’s projected growth to $9.1 billion by 2029 is at risk, along with foreign investments worth $2 billion between 2021 and 2022.
Since 2022, the government has blocked over 1,400 illegal betting and gambling sites.
