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India to ban real money gaming from May 1
India’s latest law will impose a full ban on all online games that involve real money mechanics or transactions on any device or app starting from May 1, 2026.
The legislation, which is called the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA), was created by the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). It’s scheduled that MeitY will roll out the Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI) on May 1 to regulate online games according to PROGA’s classifications.
The law defines that, despite being based on skill, chance, or both, online games are those played by a user by paying or depositing money in expectation of getting additional monetary funds.
Advertising such games will also be prohibited, and non-compliance will lead to €95,000 fines or three-year prison sentences.
Secretary of MeitY, S. Krishnan, commented:
“To offer a game, you don’t have to be either determined or registered unless you want to offer it as an e-sport. Money games are banned. Money games cannot come under determination. If we determine someone’s money games, then we have to take action against them.”
The new law will create a classification system based on three levels, including online social games, online money gaming, and esports, where social and casual games will be allowed, while esports competitions will be permitted to offer pre-declared and authorized prize pools. If a platform is found involving direct user staking, then it can be reclassified as banned money gaming.
Krishnan also added that the government is taking action against prediction platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket, as their usage has been rising among Indian players.
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