Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday welcomed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which was passed by both Houses of Parliament. The legislation aims to promote e-sports and online social gaming while banning online money games, a sector the government says is causing significant financial losses among citizens.
In a post on X, PM Modi stated, “This Bill, passed by both Houses of Parliament, highlights our commitment towards making India a hub for gaming, innovation and creativity. It will encourage e-sports and online social games. At the same time, it will save our society from the harmful effects of online money games.”
The Union Cabinet had cleared the bill earlier this week, marking its first legislative hurdle and setting the stage for Parliament to pass the law swiftly.
This Bill, passed by both Houses of Parliament, highlights our commitment towards making India a hub for gaming, innovation and creativity. It will encourage e-sports and online social games. At the same time, it will save our society from the harmful effects of online money… https://t.co/t1iUuH9JP1
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 21, 2025
Quick Passage Amid Opposition Protests
The Rajya Sabha passed the bill amid opposition protests, a day after the Lok Sabha approved it. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who introduced the legislation, emphasised that the government had engaged with the industry over the last three years to understand and mitigate the harmful impact of online money gaming.
Vaishnaw highlighted that people often lose their life’s savings through online gambling-style games. The bill forbids banks and other financial entities from assisting fund transfers for online money games and from advertising them.
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Promoting e-Sports and Social Gaming
The Online Gaming Bill also aims to promote safe online social games, which encourage interaction and learning. The law gives e-Sports legal status and permits the government to implement policies and initiatives to assist game developers, which boosts India’s software sector and creator economy.
“This balanced approach penalises service providers, advertisers, and fund transfer platforms, while supporting safe gaming and creative innovation,” Vaishnaw explained.
