India changed course in 2025. After years of state-by-state rules, court cases over skill versus chance, and a 28% GST on deposits from October 2023, Parliament passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025, which received presidential assent in August 2025. The Act bans online money games nationwide, and full enforcement began on 1 May 2026.
This page replaces our earlier India license guide. There is no longer an Indian license to apply for: the practical questions are what the law prohibits, what remains lawful and how international operators and suppliers should manage the risk.
India online gaming law: key facts for 2026
| Item | Position in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Law | Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025 |
| Assent | August 2025; full enforcement from 1 May 2026 |
| Regulator | Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY); Online Gaming Authority of India |
| Online money games | Prohibited — skill, chance or both |
| Advertising of money games | Prohibited |
| Payment processing for money games | Prohibited for banks and payment providers |
| Penalty for offering | Up to 3 years’ imprisonment and/or fine up to ₹1 crore |
| Penalty for advertising | Up to 2 years and/or fine up to ₹50 lakh |
| E-sports | Recognized and promoted |
| Social games | Permitted where no money stakes are involved |
| Licensing route for real-money operators | None |
What the Act prohibits
An online money game is any online game where a user pays fees or deposits money or other stakes in the expectation of winning money or other stakes. The Act applies regardless of whether the game is based on skill, chance or both, ending the long-running argument that skill games such as fantasy sports, rummy or poker fell outside gambling law.
Prohibited activities include:
- Offering, operating or facilitating online money games;
- Advertising or promoting them, including through influencers and sponsorships;
- Processing payments for them through banks, payment gateways or other financial institutions.
The Online Gaming Authority of India decides, case by case, whether a format counts as a money game.
What remains lawful
- E-sports, which the Act recognizes and promotes as competitive sport, including declared prize pools in authorized competitions;
- Online social and educational games without money stakes;
- Land-based casinos authorized under state law, for example in Goa, Sikkim and Daman, which are outside the Act’s scope.
Enforcement in practice
MeitY has broad blocking powers, and by 2026 thousands of gambling and betting sites had been blocked. App stores and payment providers have been instructed to remove and stop servicing money-game platforms. Major domestic operators closed or restructured their real-money businesses after the Act took effect.
What this means for international operators and suppliers
- An offshore license does not help. Licenses from Curaçao, Malta or elsewhere do not make it lawful to serve players in India.
- Geo-block India across websites, apps and payment flows, and remove India from marketing and affiliate programs.
- Review supplier contracts. Game and platform suppliers should confirm their B2B clients are not serving India.
- Check legacy exposure. Payments, affiliates and data held for Indian customers may need specific legal review.
Our earlier news coverage of Google’s 2022 ad restrictions and Tamil Nadu’s ban shows how the position developed before the national Act.
Where to look instead
Operators looking for regulated growth markets in 2026 are focusing on Europe, Latin America and Canada. See our jurisdictions overview to compare licensing routes.
How Gambling Consulting Expert can help
We help operators and suppliers assess India-related exposure under the 2025 Act — market blocking, payments, marketing and contracts — and identify lawful markets that fit their business. Contact us.
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