Parliament Passes Online Gaming Bill Amid Opposition Protests
New Delhi: Parliament on Thursday (August 21, 2025) passed the online gaming bill amid continuous protests from the Opposition, who alleged that the legislation was passed without a discussion. The bill was presented by Minister of Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw.
The Lok Sabha cleared the bill on Wednesday, and the Rajya Sabha gave its approval on Thursday after a voice vote. In the Upper House, amendments moved by Opposition members were rejected. The bill now requires the President’s signature to become law.
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Titled the ‘Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025,’ the legislation aims to ban all forms of online money games, citing instances of gambling addiction, money laundering, and financial fraud. However, no restrictions have been placed on the promotion of eSports and online social gaming.
The bill prohibits online gaming apps, which include all online betting, gambling activities, and online lotteries. It also outlaws advertisements for online money games and prohibits banks and financial institutions from transferring funds for any of these games.
The bill outlines the following penalties: entities involved in or facilitating online money gaming can face imprisonment of up to three years and/or a fine of up to Rs 1 crore. Advertising such games will attract a penalty of Rs 50 lakh or up to two years of imprisonment.
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Also, any financial transaction related to money games will result in imprisonment of up to three years and/or a fine of up to Rs 1 crore. A repeat offense would attract enhanced penalties, including jail time of three to five years and a fine of up to Rs 2 crore.
