India’s Parliament has passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025, which bans online games played with money. The legislation now only awaits presidential assent — typically a formality — before becoming law.
What the Bill Does
The new law defines online money games as any game requiring a deposit with the expectation of monetary or material gain. It bans:
- Online money gaming services
- Related advertisements
- Financial transactions tied to such games
Violations could result in up to three years in jail and fines. Lawmakers argue the ban is necessary to curb activities deemed psychologically harmful.
Federal IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw defended the measure in parliament, calling it the government’s duty to act against recurring “social evils.”
Industry Backlash
The decision comes despite opposition from India’s gaming industry. The industry was projected to reach $3.6 billion by 2029. Gaming groups are preparing to challenge the ban in the Supreme Court. They argue that skill-based games — recognized as legal under existing court rulings — should not be lumped together with gambling.
Skill-based trading platform Probo warned that a blanket ban could stifle innovation. It could also limit job creation and drive players toward unregulated markets. Instead, Probo urged the government to introduce differentiated regulations distinguishing between games of skill and chance.
Opinion Trading in Focus
Probo positioned itself as an example of legal innovation. It described its model of opinion trading (prediction markets) as a skill-based activity. Globally, such markets are regulated as financial tools. In the US, they are under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Probo argued that explicitly recognizing opinion trading as a skill-based product could foster responsible innovation, digital inclusion, and economic growth in India. This approach could avoid the unintended consequences of an outright ban.
What’s Next?
While industry stakeholders continue to lobby for amendments, the bill’s passage signals a major shift in India’s online gaming landscape. Its implementation could reshape the future of real-money games, prediction markets, and broader digital innovation. These changes will occur in one of the world’s fastest-growing tech economies.
