India Advances with Landmark Online Gaming Bill 2025 Aiming Social Safety and Industry Promotion

The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, was passed by Lok Sabha, aiming to foster e-sports and social games while banning harmful online money gaming. The bill emphasizes public welfare over industry interests, outlining measures to curb addiction and financial malpractices linked to online money games.

Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 21-08-2025 10:56 IST | Created: 21-08-2025 10:56 IST

India Advances with Landmark Online Gaming Bill 2025 Aiming Social Safety and Industry Promotion — Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw (Photo/ANI). Image Credit: ANI

Country:
India

In a significant legislative move, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the passage of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, on Wednesday. Addressing ANI, Vaishnaw highlighted the bill's aim to engage deeply with the gaming industry, developing over three years, to mitigate the negative impacts associated with online gaming.

Vaishnaw emphasized the bill's goal to foster India as a hub for game development through the establishment of the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT). The bill targets promoting e-sports and online social games, crucially banning online money games irrespective of skill or chance, to protect societal interests.

Union Minister Vaishnaw stressed the government's uncompromising stance on societal welfare. The bill categorizes online gaming into e-sports, online social games, and online money games, with the latter facing strict prohibitions due to risks of addiction, financial loss, and potential for severe societal impacts, including money laundering and terror financing.

(With inputs from agencies.)