Parliament Sanctions Online Gaming Bill: A New Era for eSports

The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, seeks to ban online money games while promoting eSports. Passed without debate in the Rajya Sabha, it prohibits associated advertisements and bars banks from facilitating transactions related to these games, aiming to reshape India's gaming landscape.

In a significant legislative move, Parliament has passed The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025. The Rajya Sabha approved the bill on Thursday without debate amid a din, following its prior passage by the Lok Sabha.

Authored by the Minister of Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the bill aims to transform the online gaming environment in India. It introduces a ban on all forms of online money games, yet advocates for the encouragement of eSports and online social gaming. Notably, any amendments proposed by the Opposition were rejected.

The legislation further seeks to curb advertisements for online money games and prohibits banks and financial institutions from facilitating or transferring funds linked to these games. This move is poised to significantly impact the online gaming industry, particularly those offering monetary rewards to participants.