India's Online Gaming Bill Mid-November: MeitY Gears Up for Final Rules on PROG Act 2025

India's Online Gaming Bill Mid-November is coming - banning real-money games, launching a national regulator, and saving users ₹20,000 crore in losses.

India's booming online gaming sector valued at $3.7 billion and growing 28% annually is on the cusp of major regulatory clarity. According to sources in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), India's Online Gaming Bill Mid-November timeline targets the final notification of rules for the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 (PROG Act) by

mid-November.

Passed by Parliament in August and receiving Presidential assent on August 22, the Act bans real-money games to curb addiction and fraud, while boosting e-sports and skill-based social gaming. This comes after public consultations on the draft rules closed on October 31, addressing concerns over job losses and global investments.

The PROG Act shifts focus from revenue-heavy real-money formats (86% of sector income) to safer alternatives, potentially saving users Rs 20,000 crore in annual losses from addictive betting. As MeitY finalizes guidelines, platforms like Dream11 and MPL brace for impacts, with industry voices on X urging balanced enforcement.

India's Online Gaming Bill Mid-November: Key Timeline and What's Next

The India's Online Gaming Bill Mid-November push stems from three years of deliberations, prompted by rising social distress and illegal offshore ops. MeitY's draft rules, released October 12, invited feedback until October 31 to refine enforcement. Post-notification, expect quick rollout, some provisions activate immediately without rules.

Milestone	Date	Details
Cabinet Approval	Aug 19, 2025	Bill introduced to promote e-sports, ban money games
Parliament Passage	Aug 20-21, 2025	Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha approve PROG Act
Presidential Assent	Aug 22, 2025	Becomes law; MeitY as nodal regulator
Draft Rules Released	Oct 12, 2025	Public comments open; focus on registry, ads
Final Notification	Mid-Nov 2025	India's Online Gaming Bill Mid-November rules live; bans bank transactions for money games

This timeline aligns with MeitY's youth protection goals, as per Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Breaking Down India's Online Gaming Bill Mid-November: Simple Rules for Everyday Gamers

Technical jargon? Not here. The PROG Act's rules aim to make gaming fun and safe - banning "money games" (where you bet cash for wins) but greenlighting free e-sports like BGMI tournaments.

Here's a bullet-point guide to the essentials, decoded for non-experts:

• No More Real-Money Bets: Platforms can't offer cash prizes or deposits for games like rummy or poker. Why? To stop addiction—users lose Rs 20,000 crore yearly. (Exception: Pure skill e-sports with entry fees only.)

  
  

• New Watchdog: Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI): A Delhi-based body under MeitY, with reps from Home Affairs (MHA) and External Affairs (MEA) to block offshore scams. It runs a national game registry—no approval, no play.

  
  

• Ad & Payment Crackdown: Banks/NBFCs can't process gaming bets; ads for money games are banned. Fines up to Rs 2 crore for violations.

  
  

• E-Sports Boost: Free tournaments, training academies, and tech incentives, think Olympic-level PUBG events without the cash stakes.

  
  

• Global Twist: Indian firms can support foreign platforms (via GCCs) if they don't target India - clarifications expected to avoid job cuts.

  
  

These rules simplify compliance: Register your game, play fair, no cash bets—done.

Industry Shake-Up: Winners, Losers, and Global Ripples

India's Online Gaming Bill Mid-November could slash GST from real-money games (Rs 15,000-20,000 crore hit) but foster a $7.5 billion e-sports market by 2028. Winners: Free-to-play devs and e-sports orgs. Losers: RMG giants like Dream11, facing 50,000+ job risks.

On X, stakeholders like @rajasthanoga celebrate the "landmark move" for ethical gaming.

Challenges include court stays (cases transferred to Supreme Court) and overseas investment fog—firms seek MeitY clarifications by November. Globally, it positions India as a regulated hub, akin to the EU's GDPR for gaming.

As rules drop, track updates on MeitY's portal or PRS India. Gamers, what's your take - ban or boon? Comment below!

For deeper dives, explore FICCI-EY's Gaming Report.