MC EXCLUSIVE This is a balanced bill, provides clarity: MeitY Secretary Krishnan defends proposed ban on money-based games

IT secretary S Krishnan spoke to Moneycontrol on the new online gaming bill

India’s top technology official has defended the government’s proposed bill to ban online real-money gaming, describing it as a “balanced” attempt to bring clarity to a fast-growing sector, while protecting creative innovation and users alike.

“This is a balanced bill,” S. Krishnan, Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), told Moneycontrol. "We have protected the creative aspects and the element of gaming — be it social games or esports.”

His comments come as the government looks to table an online gaming bill, called Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025, in the Lok Sabha on August 20 after it received the Union Cabinet nod on August 19.

The bill "prohibits" offering, aiding, abetting, inducing online money games and online money gaming services. Online money game is defined as an online game, irrespective of whether it is based on skill or chance that is played by paying a fee, depositing money or other stakes in expectation of winning in return of money or other stakes.

India’s gaming market has surged in recent years, drawing billions in investment and hundreds of millions of users, but also raising concerns over addiction, financial harm, and debt spirals that affect lower income groups.

Krishnan said the bill responds directly to calls from within the sector for regulatory certainty. “The industry itself sought clarity — and we have provided it,” he said. “Gaming is not a monolithic industry. This bill puts all other AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics) games in clear light."

He stressed that the proposed framework does not criminalise players but rather imposes accountability on the platforms that offer real-money games. “There is no criminalisation of players. We have only set rules for the platforms providing these money games,” Krishnan said.

Industry stakeholders have also raised concerns about enforcement, particularly the ability to curtail offshore operators and users accessing unlicensed platforms via VPNs. Krishnan acknowledged these challenges but said the government is “fully prepared” to address them.

“We fully understand that there will be technical and implementation challenges with respect to offshore gaming platforms, VPNs,” he said. “We are fully prepared to fight it.”

Meanwhile, India’s online skill-gaming sector has urged Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene against a proposed bill that seeks to ban all real-money games (RMG), warning it would devastate a fast-growing industry, kill over 200,000 jobs and drive users to unregulated offshore platforms.

In a joint appeal, three leading industry bodies - the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), the E-Gaming Federation (EGF), and the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) - said the blanket ban risks undermining Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a $1 trillion digital economy.

In a letter dated August 19, the skill gaming industry bodies said the proposed legislation, if enacted, would “strike a death knell” for the legitimate, regulated online gaming industry in India. Moneycontrol has viewed a copy of the letter.

AIGF has over 120 members that include companies such as Mobile Premier League (MPL), Nazara Technologies, Gameskraft, Zupee, and Head Digital Works (A23). Meanwhile, EGF represents the country's top rummy and poker operators, such as Games24x7, Junglee Games, and Head Digital Works, while FIFS counts fantasy sports major Dream11 as its founding member.

The sector has three unicorns: Dream11, Games24x7, and MPL. It is also one of the few sectors in India's digital economy with multiple companies generating sizeable profits.

Online skill gaming has generated over Rs 31,000 crores in revenue, and has contributed over Rs 20,000 crores in annual direct and indirect faxes. The sector is set to grow by 20 percent CAGR and double by 2028, as per the letter.

RMG apps accounts for the bulk of revenues of India's overall gaming industry which is estimated to cross $9.2 billion in revenue by FY29 at a 20 percent CAGR over the next five years.