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PM Modi hails the passage of The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which bans online money games but promotes e-sports and social gaming.
The bill seeks to ban all forms of online money games while promoting eSports and online social gaming. (X)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday praised the passage of The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, from both Houses of the Parliament, saying that it highlights the government’s commitment towards making India a hub for gaming, innovation and creativity.
He said that the new legislation will encourage e-sports and online social games, and at the same time, it will save the society from the harmful effects of online money games.
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“This Bill, passed by both Houses of Parliament, highlights our commitment towards making India a hub for gaming, innovation and creativity. It will encourage e-sports and online social games. At the same time, it will save our society from the harmful effects of online money games,” he said in a post on X.
This Bill, passed by both Houses of Parliament, highlights our commitment towards making India a hub for gaming, innovation and creativity. It will encourage e-sports and online social games. At the same time, it will save our society from the harmful effects of online money… https://t.co/t1iUuH9JP1— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 21, 2025
The Online Gaming Bill, 2025, was passed in the Parliament on Thursday, with the Rajya Sabha approving it without debate amid din.
The bill, piloted by Minister of Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw, seeks to ban all forms of online money games while promoting eSports and online social gaming.
It was passed by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
What’s In The Bill?
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, bans the operating, facilitating and advertising of online money games, as the government looks to check rising instances of addiction, money laundering and financial fraud through such applications.
Online money games are played by depositing money in expectation of winning monetary and other rewards.
Defending the ban, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw asserted that the interests of society will always override the interests of industry.
He noted that the bill will help encourage e-sports and social gaming, and said there was a demand from many MPs to prohibit money gaming because of its harmful effects on society.
The minister said the Bill has three segments – the first is e-sports, where players compete in coordinated games across the world.
Despite strong pushback from the gaming industry, which has warned of job losses, economic setbacks, and a rise in illegal offshore apps, the government has defended the move as necessary to tackle addiction, fraud, and threats to national security.
While the Bill seeks to prohibit money-based gaming, it explicitly draws a line between those platforms and other formats like eSports and online social games. Skill-based multiplayer video games, including those not involving financial stakes, are exempt from the prohibition. The government has also said it intends to promote and regulate such permissible formats to create a healthier online gaming ecosystem.
About the Author
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben…Read More
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben… Read More
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