New Delhi: Parliament has passed the **Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025**, with the Rajya Sabha clearing it on Thursday by voice vote amid opposition protests. The Bill was tabled by Union IT and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, a day after it was passed in the Lok Sabha.
The new law imposes a **blanket ban on money-based online games**, while promoting e-sports and social gaming. It also bars advertisements of money-gaming platforms and prohibits banks and financial institutions from processing related transactions.
Violators offering money-based online games will face up to **three years in jail and/or a fine of ₹1 crore**.
Bill Labels Money Games “Harmful”
The Bill defines money-based games as those requiring players to deposit funds with the hope of winning cash or rewards. Such games, described as “harmful”, will be prohibited along with their financial dealings.
Minister Vaishnaw stressed that the Bill adopts a **balanced approach** — banning what harms families while encouraging safe and beneficial gaming.
Three Categories of Online Games
Vaishnaw classified online gaming into three segments:
1. **E-sports** – Training and strategy-based games played between teams, similar to cricket or football. The Bill grants them legal recognition and promises government support schemes.
2. **Social Games** – Fun, educational and community-based games like Angry Birds, puzzles, or brain games. These will be encouraged as part of India’s creator economy.
3. **Money-Based Games** – Games involving financial stakes, addiction and risk. The minister said such platforms have destroyed families, pushed youth into debt, led to suicides, and even enabled money laundering and terror financing.
Players Are Victims, Not Criminals
Importantly, players will not be punished. The Bill treats them as victims. Instead, **service providers, advertisers, and financial intermediaries** will face strict penalties.
Vaishnaw noted that thousands of complaints had been received about the damage caused by money-based games. He said the government had prioritised **family safety over revenue concerns**.
> “When it comes to choosing between society’s welfare and government revenue, Prime Minister Modi has always chosen middle-class families. This Bill follows the same principle — protecting society while encouraging e-sports and social game creators as engines of innovation,” he said.
Tags: #OnlineGaming #Parliament #AshwiniVaishnaw #Esports #DigitalBharat #MoneyGamesBan #OnlineGamingBill2025
