Online Gaming Bill now law after Prez Murmu’s nod

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday gave her assent to the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, a day after it was passed by the Parliament.

The Bill got the Parliament nod on Thursday after it was also approved in the Rajya Sabha by a voice vote amidst the din.

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The Bill, moved by Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw for consideration and passing in the Upper House, aims to promote and regulate the online gaming sector, including e-sports, educational games, and social gaming, while prohibiting online money games and related advertisements.

The Bill was earlier passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

With Presidential assent to the Bill, the new law now comes into effect.

The new law imposes stringent penalties on those facilitating such services, with imprisonment of up to three years and fines reaching Rs 1 crore. Advertising or promoting such platforms will also attract punishment of up to two years and fines of Rs 50 lakh.

After Parliament gave its nod to the Bill, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it would save society from the harmful effects of online money games. The Rajya Sabha passed the bill in just 26 minutes on Thursday, a day after the Lok Sabha cleared it within seven minutes.

Both Houses witnessed strong protests by the Opposition members who alleged procedural irregularities and insufficient debate.

Vaishnaw, while piloting the legislation, argued that the move was essential to protect families from financial ruin caused by online gambling.

“From time to time, society grapples with social evils. In these circumstances, it is the duty of the government and the Parliament to probe and make laws to control them,” Vaishnaw said in the Rajya Sabha, adding that people were losing their “life’s savings” in such platforms.

The minister also added that around 45 crore people have been affected, and around Rs 20,000 crore have been lost because of online money games.