The government is set to implement the final rules for the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act from October 1, Union Minister of Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday. The legislation, passed by Parliament on August 21, aims to promote e-sports and online social games while banning online money gaming.Speaking about the rollout, Vaishnaw said, “We have engaged with practically every stakeholder possible in this, and we have finalised the rules. The rules will be promulgated with effect from 1st of October, and before that, we’ll have one more round of discussions with the industry.” He added that discussions with the industry and banks have been ongoing for nearly three years to ensure smooth implementation.
The bill, cleared by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, seeks to fully prohibit the offering, operation, or facilitation of online money games, whether based on skill, chance, or both.
Following the passage of the law, several leading real-money gaming companies in India have already suspended paid contests and games on their platforms.The sweeping ban has stirred debate on social media. Many users have welcomed it as a necessary step to curb addiction, financial losses, and social problems. However, some industry insiders and netizens have raised concerns about potential economic disruption, loss of government revenue, and job losses in the sector.(Edited by : Ajay Vaishnav)First Published: Sept 19, 2025 12:04 AM IST
