The newly passed Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025 prohibits real-money gaming in any form, affecting several popular platforms, including:
- Dream11
- My11Circle
- Howzat
- SG11 Fantasy
- WinZO
- Games24x7 (including RummyCircle)
- Junglee Games (including Junglee Rummy and Junglee Poker)
- PokerBaazi
- GamesKraft/RummyCulture
- MyTeam11
- Nazara Technologies’ RMG ventures
Why the Government Enacted the Ban
Lawmakers justified the ban by citing escalating social and economic harm caused by real-money gaming. While recognizing the sector’s size—valued at approximately $3.7 billion, contributing ₹25,000 crore in FDI and taxes—the government emphasized the ₹20,000 crore annual losses borne by users. It highlighted widespread misuse by platforms masquerading as “games of skill” and prioritized public welfare over industry earnings.
Legal and Constitutional Concerns
Industry groups and legal experts have charged that the law fails to differentiate between games of chance and games of skill—a distinction protected under the Indian Constitution (Article 19[1][g]) and upheld in multiple High Court rulings. Many see the bill as constitutionally questionable and argue it ignores earlier efforts to regulate through self-regulatory organizations, which were informally abandoned.
Industry Consequences
The ban could have severe consequences for the gaming market, including:
- Displacement of users to unregulated, offshore platforms such as matka operators
- Potential collapse in investor confidence and capital inflows
- Disruption of IPO plans, particularly for profitable entities like Dream11, WinZO, and GamesKraft
Current Regulatory Landscape
This legislation marks a sharp directional shift from earlier proposals that aimed only to regulate the sector. Platforms, industry bodies, and players have pushed back through formal letters to government authorities, urging for thoughtful regulation that balances user protection with economic innovation.
