Online Gaming Laws in India 2026: What the Online Gaming Act Means for Players
Allyonoguru is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to SBI, YONO by SBI, or any bank.
18+ · Online money games are prohibited in India under the Online Gaming Act, 2025.
Short answer: since 1 May 2026, India has a single national law for online gaming. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, together with the Online Gaming Rules, 2026, prohibits online money games across India, whether they are based on skill, chance, or both. E-sports and online social games that involve no money stakes remain allowed.
This article is general information, not legal advice.
The Law in One Paragraph
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 (Act No. 32 of 2025) was passed by Parliament in August 2025 and notified on 22 August 2025. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology notified the Online Gaming Rules, 2026 on 22 April 2026, and both came into force on 1 May 2026. The Act applies to online money gaming services offered in India, including services run from outside India.
What Counts as an Online Money Game
The Act defines an online money game as an online game, "irrespective of whether such game is based on skill, chance, or both", that a user plays by paying fees or depositing money or other stakes, expecting to win money or other enrichment. "Other stakes" includes coins, credits or tokens bought with money. E-sports are excluded.
That definition is why the old "skill game versus chance game" argument no longer settles the question for online play with money.
What the Act Prohibits
| Activity | Position | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Offering online money games or services | Prohibited. Up to 3 years in prison, a fine of up to ₹1 crore, or both | 5, 9(1) |
| Advertising or promoting online money games | Prohibited. Up to 2 years, a fine of up to ₹50 lakh, or both | 6, 9(2) |
| Banks and payment services processing payments for them | Prohibited. Up to 3 years, a fine of up to ₹1 crore, or both | 7, 9(3) |
| Blocking apps and websites that break the Act | Allowed, using Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000 | 14 |
Repeat offences carry higher minimum penalties. Offering and payment-processing offences are cognisable and non-bailable (Section 10). The Act also lets the government set up an Authority that can decide whether a particular game is an online money game (Section 8).
What Stays Allowed
- E-sports recognised and registered under the Act.
- Online social games: games played without money or other stakes, which may charge a subscription or one-time access fee as long as it is not a stake.
- Offline card games played in person. The Act covers online games; offline play remains a matter for state laws.
What This Means for Rummy and Teen Patti Apps
Online rummy or Teen Patti played for money is an online money game under the Act, regardless of the skill involved. Indian courts have long described rummy as a game of skill, but that history does not make online play for money permitted today. Free versions with no money or stakes are not online money games.
The Act's penalty section, Section 9, targets those who offer, advertise, or process payments for online money games. Read the Act itself and take legal advice about your own situation.
Official Sources
- The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 (full text, MeitY)
- Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026 (Press Information Bureau)
- Government enacts the Online Gaming Act, 2025 (Press Information Bureau)
These links were checked on 28 September 2026. If you are struggling with gaming or have lost money to a scam, see our Responsible Gaming page for free national helplines.
← Back to Blog