New Delhi: The Online Gaming Regulation Bill has officially become law after President Droupadi Murmu signed it, following its passage in both Houses of Parliament amid opposition protests.
The law bans all real-money online gaming services, prescribing up to three years’ imprisonment and fines of up to ₹1 crore for facilitators. Advertisers of such platforms face up to two years in jail and fines of ₹50 lakh. Financial institutions are prohibited from processing payments related to betting or real-money gaming.
The bill empowers the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) as the nodal regulator, with authority to block illegal or unregistered platforms. The move follows the government’s earlier decisions to impose 28% GST on online gaming (October 2023) and a 30% tax on winnings from FY 2024-25.
