Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday said that the rules under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Games Act, recently passed by Parliament, are scheduled to come into effect from October 1, 2025.
“We’ve been engaging with the industry for almost three years now. After the law was passed, we resumed discussions with all stakeholders, including gaming companies, banks, and other relevant entities,” the minister said.
Vaishnaw added that one final round of discussions will be held with industry stakeholders before the implementation begins. “If the industry feels they need more time, we are open to considering that. Our government believes in a highly consultative process for practically everything we do,” he said.
The Online Gaming Act, notified on August 22, is the first central legislation to outlaw online real-money games across India, irrespective of whether they are classified as games of skill or chance. It makes participation or offering of such games a cognisable and non-bailable offence.
Introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 20 and passed within two days, the law marks a departure from earlier regulation of the gaming sector, which was largely shaped by State enactments and court rulings distinguishing games of skill from gambling.
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