All online gaming service providers must apply for registration, furnishing details of their game models, safety measures and user grievance mechanisms
The government on Thursday issued detailed rules under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, creating a framework to govern India’s fast-growing digital gaming ecosystem.
The rules, published by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), set out the powers of a newly established Online Gaming Authority of India, procedures for registration of games, grievance redressal systems for users, and penalties for violations. The rules are expected to bring long-awaited clarity for companies straddling the line between casual play, e-sports and money-based gaming.
Under the framework, the Authority will determine whether a game qualifies as an “online money game” — involving wagers, stakes or cash prizes — or whether it falls under “social games” or “e-sports.” Games categorised as money games will be prohibited from being offered or advertised. While social and e-sports platforms can apply for five-year registrations, money games risk prohibition and advertising bans.
All online gaming service providers must apply for registration, furnishing details of their game models, safety measures and user grievance mechanisms. Successful applicants will receive a certificate of registration valid for up to five years. Providers are also required to disclose any “material change” in game design or revenue model that could alter its classification.
The Authority has been given civil court–like powers, enabling it to summon company representatives, inspect records and impose penalties. Penalties, if unpaid, can be recovered like arrears of land revenue, a provision industry players say raises the stakes for compliance.
Grievance redressal
For users, the framework promises grievance redressal at multiple levels, first with the provider, then through a Grievance Appellate Committee, and finally with the Authority. Transitional rules require all pending user funds before the Act’s commencement to be remitted within 180 days.
India’s online gaming industry, valued at over $3.5 billion and projected to grow at double digits annually, has attracted major global investors. But the sector has been dogged by legal uncertainty, particularly around real-money games that several states have sought to ban.
Industry watchers said the new rules signal the Centre’s intent to draw a sharper line between permissible forms of gaming and gambling.
While the framework may impose additional regulatory burdens, analysts said it could also open the door for larger, more structured investments in the sector, particularly in e-sports and casual gaming.
Published on October 2, 2025
