When the new Online Gaming Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha last month, it met with mixed reactions from the public. On one hand, the bill recognised esports as an official sport which delighted players who had been striving to make a mark in the space. But on the other hand, the bill also put a ban on online games involving real money which caused a setback for many. Companies like Zupee, Gameskraft and others laid off employees after the bill was passed while many others pivoted to other activities entirely.
Now, the government has taken another step towards ensuring that the bill can be enacted. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) just released a draft titled Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2025. This draft proposes the creation of a national registry of all online social games, e-sports, and money games, along with mandatory registration for companies and people offering such services in India.
At the centre of the draft is a new body called the Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI). This regulator will be responsible for maintaining the registry, approving registrations and ensuring that companies follow the rules. Once a game is registered, any big change such as an updated revenue model or major feature must be reported to OGAI. If not, the regulator will have the power to suspend or cancel that game’s registration. Stakeholders have been invited to share feedback until October 31.
The draft sets out clear guidelines for companies wishing to operate in India. Developers will need to provide details such as the name and description of the game, the category it falls under, the target age group, revenue model, and user safety features. They will also need to have a grievance redressal system in place.
The OGAI will be based in the National Capital Region and will be chaired by a senior IT ministry official, along with members from the ministries of Information and Broadcasting, Youth Affairs and Financial Affairs. The authority will have powers to decide whether a game qualifies as an online money game and can even probe titles that are considered harmful to users.
If a company fails to follow the rules, OGAI can impose penalties or suspend registrations. The severity of the punishment will depend on the scale of the violation, the harm caused to users, and the number of people affected.
To ensure fairness, the draft also allows companies to appeal against OGAI’s decisions. The appellate authority will be the IT ministry’s secretary.