India, Aug. 22 -- The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 has cleared both Houses of Parliament this week, marking a pivotal shift in India's approach to the online gaming sector. The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill on Thursday, a day after its approval in the Lok Sabha, rejecting Opposition calls for deeper scrutiny. The legislation now awaits Presidential assent.

Once enacted, the Bill will ban all forms of online money games-including fantasy sports, poker, rummy, and digital lotteries-while promoting e-sports and safe, skill-based social gaming. It also imposes penalties on service providers, advertisers, and financial institutions that support banned games, with jail terms of up to three years and fines of up to Rs 1 cr...