The online real money gaming industry in India is once again at a flash point. And this time its very survival is at stake.

While the imposition of 28% GST in 2023 shook the industry, it managed to survive the storm with minor damages. However, it is facing an existential crisis now, as the Centre has proposed to ban real money gaming in the country.

More than $3 Bn has been invested in the Indian real money gaming space, which houses unicorns like Dream11, MPL, and Games24x7, to date. Besides the loss of investment, an estimated 2 Lakh employees are now staring at an uncertain future.

After the Union cabinet cleared the “The Promotion And Regulation Of Online Gaming Bill, 2025” yesterday, the Bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha today and passed by the Lower House.

The Bill proposes to prohibit all forms of real money gaming, whether based on skill, chance or a hybrid of both. It also proposes to ban advertising and promotion of such games across all media platforms and block banks from processing financial transactions related to real money gaming platforms.

It proposes imprisonment of up to three years and fines of up to INR 3 Cr for operators who facilitate these gaming platforms.

Interestingly, the Bill aims to promote esports, with provisions to establish or designate a national-level regulatory........

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