ThePrint ThePrintAM: What does India's new Gaming Bill say?
Aug 20, 2025
India's Online Gaming Bill 2025 is shaking up the gaming landscape. It aims to ban online money games while embracing esports and social gaming. The discussion highlights efforts to tackle gaming addiction and curb illegal activities. The government's role in defining skill-based versus chance-based games is crucial, establishing a legal framework that could reshape how the industry operates. Get ready for a new era in gaming regulation!
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Complete Ban On Online Money Games
- The bill outlaws all online betting, gambling, fantasy sports and lotteries irrespective of skill or chance.
- Any online game played for money or money's worth with expectation of winning will be treated as an online money game and banned.
Skill Vs Chance Distinction Erased Online
- The bill removes the traditional legal distinction between games of skill and chance for online games involving stakes.
- It defines online money games by the presence of fees, deposits or expectation of monetary returns, not by skill.
Central Law Over State Patchwork
- The bill aims to replace India's current patchwork of state laws by creating a central law despite gambling being a state subject.
- It responds to concerns about addiction, cross-border extremist operations, money laundering and terror financing.