Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Tables Online Gaming Bill Amid Opposition Protests in Lok Sabha

IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has tabled the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 in Lok Sabha, despite protests from Opposition. The bill aims to ban online games with a monetary component, citing concerns over suicides and addiction among children and youth. The cabinet approved the legislation on Tuesday. Lok Sabha was adjourned until 2 PM after the bill was introduced.

IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has introduced the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 in Lok Sabha, despite protests from the opposition. The bill aims to ban online games with a monetary component, citing concerns over suicides and addiction among children and youth. The cabinet approved the legislation on Tuesday, and Lok Sabha was adjourned until 2 PM after the bill was introduced.

The bill seeks to address growing concerns over online gaming addiction, financial frauds, and data privacy risks, particularly among young players. It focuses on regulating online gaming and e-sports, while imposing strict curbs on online money games. Key provisions include:

1. Ban on Online Money Games: The bill prohibits offering, operation, facilitation, advertisement, and promotion of online money games, particularly those operating across state borders or from foreign jurisdictions.
2. Protection of Users: The bill aims to safeguard individuals, especially the youth and vulnerable groups, from social, economic, psychological, and privacy-related harms linked to online gaming.
3. Responsible Digital Usage: The bill seeks to ensure safe adoption of technology while maintaining public order, financial integrity, public health, and national security.
4. National-Level Legal Framework: The bill provides a uniform regulatory structure to avoid state-level inconsistencies and address cross-border challenges.

The move comes amid a rise in fraud cases and increasing concerns over online gaming addiction. The bill intends to encourage the growth of e-sports and educational gaming while creating clear distinctions between recreational gaming and gambling-like activities.

If passed, the law will mark the first centralized, national-level framework to govern India’s online gaming ecosystem, balancing industry growth with consumer protection and national security interests. The bill is expected to have significant implications for the industry, which employs over 200,000 people and has seen exponential growth. However, it also faces opposition from industry leaders who warn that the ban could cripple the sector and lead to the proliferation of illegal platforms.

The bill was approved by the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and is now headed to Parliament for further debate and approval. The introduction of the bill follows recent actions by investigating agencies against celebrities promoting such applications.

References:
[1] https://m.economictimes.com/news/india/centre-to-table-online-gaming-regulation-bill-in-lok-sabha-today/articleshow/123398004.cms
[2] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/centre-to-table-online-gaming-regulation-bill-in-lok-sabha-today/articleshow/123398004.cms
[3] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/centre-to-introduce-law-to-prohibit-real-money-gaming-firms-official-says/article69953111.ece
[4] https://www.financialexpress.com/business/brandwagon-online-money-games-face-ban-3951887/