New Delhi: India’s new online gaming rules, set to be notified Wednesday, will make determination and registration voluntary for most online games, MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan said at a press briefing here, marking a significant shift from an earlier draft that made determination mandatory for all practical purposes.
“To offer a game, you don’t have to be either determined or registered unless you want to offer it as an e-sport,” Krishnan said, outlining the rules framed under the IT Act.
The regulatory journey has been years in the making. MeitY was allocated jurisdiction over online gaming on 23 December, 2022, and within a fortnight released draft amendments to the IT Rules, 2021 for public consultation on January 2, 2023.
MeitY notified the first set of Online Gaming Rules on 6 April, 2023, introducing a self-regulatory body framework for real money gaming platforms. That architecture, however, was superseded when Parliament moved to legislate directly.
The Cabinet approved the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill on 19 August, 2025; it was passed in the Lok Sabha on 20 August, Rajya Sabha on 21 August, and received Presidential assent on 22 August, 2025.
On 12 October, 2025, MeitY released the Draft Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules under Section 19 of the new Act, inviting public consultation.
The rules, which come into force on 1 May, establish an Online Gaming Authority chaired by an additional secretary-rank officer with joint secretary-level members from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Department of Legal Affairs and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and Department of Telecommunications—a total of six members, up from the earlier proposed composition.
The authority will trigger a determination—the process of classifying a game as an online money game or online social game—in only three situations: on its own initiative, when a service provider applies for e-sport registration, or when the central government notifies a specific category of games for determination. “Online social games in general will not require either determination or registration,” Krishnan said at the briefing Wednesday.
Where determination is initiated, the authority has 90 days to issue a determination order, which will be specific to the game and its provider. “It can’t be the same game, different publisher,” clarified Krishnan.
On e-sports, which sit in a regulatory grey zone, Krishnan said registration remains mandatory under the Act. “The Department of Legal Affairs and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports will recognise e-sports,” he said, adding that international recognition, such as e-sports featuring in the Asian Games, was a factor the government was weighing.
The ban on online money games remains absolute. “Money games are banned. Money games cannot come under determination. If we determine someone’s money games, then we have to take action against them,” Krishnan said.
Enforcement against illegal offshore betting and gambling apps will run primarily through the banking and financial system. “If you are entering into transactions and to them it seems like there are many financial transactions which are being entered into this game,” Krishnan said, explaining why banks and financial institutions now carry compliance obligations under the rules. The Ministry of Home Affairs’ inclusion in the authority is also linked to enforcement, he indicated.
On investigation of offences—which include providing, advertising, or conducting financial transactions for online money games—Krishnan said powers have been extended to cyber police stations and cyber units at the district and commissionerate level, rather than confining jurisdiction to state-level officers.
“People can’t be expected to travel to the state headquarters to find out about the launch of a complaint,” he said, while acknowledging that “you don’t want the SHOs (station house officers) of rural police stations trying to investigate this”.
Key changes from the earlier draft include: the validity period for registration certificates extended from five years to ten years; the concept of “material change” removed to reduce discretionary disputes; emergency action communication timelines shortened from seven to three days; and a two-tier grievance and appellate mechanism within game providers and the authority.
On state laws such as Tamil Nadu’s, which deal with games of skill versus chance, Krishnan said the two regimes operate on different footings. “Betting and gambling is within the powers of the state government. We have not made any such distinction,” he said.
The rules follow feedback from approximately 2,500 stakeholders, including industry bodies, law firms, academia, and think tanks. Several stakeholders sought withdrawal of the Act and continuation of real money gaming platforms, Krishnan said, without indicating any movement on that front.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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