India Cracks Down on Online Gaming with New Law to Fight Money Laundering and Boost Safe Play

India Cracks Down on Online Gaming with New Law to Fight Money Laundering and Boost Safe Play

August 23, 2025

India is shaking up the online gaming world with a bold new law! The government has passed 'The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025' to tackle big problems like money laundering and terror financing linked to real-money gaming. IT and Electronics Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told Parliament that alarming issues such as financial losses leading to tragic suicides are forcing the government to act fast. Vaishnaw called out the gaming industry for not protecting players well. "We saw news of families committing suicides because of losses they made in online money games," he stated, showing how serious the danger has become. He said the bill is here not just to stop harmful actions but also to create a healthy gaming world. The good news? The industry will keep growing, especially in e-sports and online social games. Games like chess and Sudoku, cherished traditional favorites, will get a fresh push under this law. This smart move is winning cheers across all political parties. The minister shared, "Practically every MP from every party... has been asking for action on it because it's visible in society today." What about money worries? Vaishnaw reassured that investments will keep flowing into parts of gaming that follow the new rules. The bill also plans to set up a special authority to promote e-sports and social gaming while guarding players’ interests. Another big headache has been illegal offshore gaming apps. The new law aims to hit them right where it hurts — at the money flowing through financial transactions linked to these unlawful apps. The government promises to keep up the fight against these risky platforms to protect players and keep gaming fair and fun. In short, India’s new gaming law is all about cleaning up the mess while championing safe, exciting games that bring joy, not harm. It's a new dawn for gamers and the whole industry!

Read More at Economictimes

Tags: Online gaming regulation, Money laundering, Terror financing, E-sports, India gaming bill, Real-money gaming,

ET Online

Comments

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *