Esports is legit, not gambling: Indian gamers welcome Online Gaming Bill 2025

The gaming industry in India witnessed a major turning point recently when the Parliament officially passed the Online Gaming Bill 2025. The bill formally recognises esports as a skill-based competitive sport and also bans real-money gambling apps. For years, the lines between gambling-style apps and legitimate esports competitions have been blurred in the eyes of the public, policymakers, and even families of gamers themselves.

The bill aims to draw that line clearly: poker, rummy, and other chance-based real-money games are banned, while competitive titles like BGMI, Valorant, and CS2 are categorically defined as esports.

For India’s growing creator and esports community, the Online Gaming Bill 2025 is a step in the right direction as it would mean validating their years of hard work. We spoke to some Indian gaming content creators and got to know their thoughts on the bill. Let’s take a look at what they had to say.

Also read: Dream11 to RummyCircle: Online Gaming Bill 2025 hits these apps hard

“My parents used to think I was gambling”

Ankit Panth (V3nom), one of India’s earliest professional esports athletes, knows the frustration of being misunderstood all too well. He told Digit, “When I started (my career), even my parents thought I was gambling. It took me a lot of time to convince them that I wasn’t. I was offered a good 7 figure deal from a lot of online real money games, but I never took it because I didn’t want to influence my fans in a wrong way. For me, integrity came first”

Welcoming the new bill, he said, “It’s a great move and will also clear the confusion between esports and online real money games. Now, finally, we have an official bill that says what I’ve been saying all along: esports is not gambling.”

Other creators have similar experiences, saying that the new bill will finally clear the long-standing confusion between esports and online gambling.

Harsh Salunkhe (Harsh Khelraay) talked about the everyday misconceptions gamers have had to fight for years.  

He told Digit, “I once told someone I stream games for a living and they immediately assumed I was talking about poker or rummy. This misconception will finally end with the huge step taken by the Lok Sabha. For years, many parents believed gaming meant gambling, while creators promoting such apps pushed countless people into debt.”

He further added that India is home to many talented young gamers and the support for esports will ensure the right guidance and education for them.  

“Associating gambling with gaming is disrespectful”

For Ishan Khedkar (Khatarnak Ishan), another creator with over nine years in the industry, the distinction is more than semantics—it’s respect.

“When someone used to associate gambling with gaming it felt very disrespectful. This bill should have been introduced earlier, and I hope the gambling apps won’t find any loopholes.”

Tanmay ‘ScoutOP’ Singh, gaming influencer and brand ambassador of Revenant XSpark, highlighted what formal recognition really means.

“Competitive gaming has always been skill-based, and it is encouraging to see it finally get its due. This bill’s effort to clearly distinguish between esports, social gaming, and chance-based money games is a crucial step toward safeguarding and nurturing the growth of skill-based gaming. With the right balance, this legislation has the potential to position India as a global esports powerhouse.”

Also read: Online Gaming Bill 2025: Here’s how you can file ITR for online gaming income

“Could inspire more women to pursue careers in gaming”

Ankkita Chauhan, a well-known creator in the FPS gaming space, highlighted that this decision could inspire more young women to pursue careers in gaming.

“As a woman gamer and creator, I see this as more than just policy; it’s a signal to families, institutions, and investors that esports is a credible and aspirational industry. This clarity will encourage more young women to explore opportunities in gaming, whether as athletes, streamers, or creators, without the stigma that often surrounds the field.

“With the right infrastructure and mentorship, Indian esports has the potential to not only grow in scale but also in diversity, bringing new voices and perspectives to the global stage.”

“The start of a new era”

The Online Gaming Bill 2025 is also being hailed as the beginning of a new era by some creators in the community.

For Arush Bhardwaj, the bill is a milestone moment. “It is a milestone day for Indian gaming. With the Online Gaming Bill 2025 being finally passed, I feel blessed to have seen this whole process develop over the years,” he said.

He added that the government made a “good decision” in banning real money gaming as many people have been affected by gambling games masquerading as games. Esports is not gambling.

“It (esports) is competition, skill, and discipline, just like any sport. Players grind and sharpen their skills to compete with other players and should be rewarded based on their Gaming Skills. Esports is big and it’s legit.”

He further added that the bill feels like “the beginning of the esports era in India”.

The Online Gaming Bill 2025 doesn’t just regulate apps; it changes and rewrites the narrative. For the first time, Indian gamers can point to the law and say: esports is legitimate. The bill clears the fog around the industry, gives families and investors confidence, and lays the groundwork for growth.

Creators welcome the move and feel that this is a moment of optimism in a space that’s often been overshadowed by stigma.

Also read: Lok Sabha passes bill to ban real-money online games: Full story in 5 points