Govt to implement Online Gaming Act on October 1: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw
The Act, which has faced delays in implementation, is aimed at introducing oversight and regulatory clarity in India’s fast-growing online gaming industry.
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The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is set to implement the Promotion and Regulation of Online Games Act on October 1, with rules under the legislation scheduled to be formally promulgated the same day.
"We have had multiple discussions with them (online gaming companies and stakeholders)... and after passing the law, once again, we engaged with them," Vaishnaw said, adding that the government has also consulted banks and other stakeholders.
"We engaged with practically every stakeholder possible in this, and we have finalised the rules. The rules will be promulgated with effect from the first of October, and before that, we will have one more round of discussions with the industry. And in case we need more time, we will definitely consider a more consultative approach, which is our standard approach. Our government's approach is very consultative on practically everything that we do," the Union Minister added, speaking at the pre-event ceremony of AI Impact Summit 2026 organised by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
"In case we need some more time, we will definitely look at a more consultative approach. At present, the government is targeting October 1 for the rollout of the new legislation," Minister Vaishnaw said.
Ahead of the rollout, MeitY is holding consultations with gaming companies, banks, and other stakeholders to resolve concerns related to user deposits and compliance. Officials have indicated that one final round of discussions will be conducted before the October 1 deadline to ensure a smooth transition.
On August 22, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which was passed by Parliament this week. The Bill was brought in to encourage e-sports and online social games while prohibiting harmful online money gaming services, advertisements, and financial transactions related to them.
He emphasised that the government's approach remains "very consultative" and that another round of discussions with the industry will be held before implementation.
The Act, which has faced delays in implementation, is aimed at introducing oversight and regulatory clarity in India’s fast-growing online gaming industry. A key focus is safeguarding players’ interests while laying down a framework for fair practices across gaming platforms.
The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) had convened a high-level meeting recently with senior representatives from leading banks and payment firms to discuss the operational rollout of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025.
The banks and payment gateways had requested additional time to process refunds and chargebacks for users affected by the ban.
Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw also held a detailed meeting with real money gaming federations and gaming operators to discuss the rollout of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 (PROGA). The meeting, convened at Rail Bhawan, focused on the transition framework, user safeguards, and curbing offshore betting platforms.
A bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Vishwanathan allowed the Centre’s transfer petition, bringing together matters currently pending before the High Courts of Delhi, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh. The bench directed that records from all three High Courts be transferred digitally within one week.
Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Union government, argued that consolidation was necessary since similar petitions had already been considered by the same bench and “it would be much easier to conclude the matter” if they were heard together. Senior Advocate C. Aryama Sundaram also pressed for urgent transfer, stressing that digital consolidation of all proceedings would ensure efficiency.
Justice Pardiwala, while allowing the plea, clarified that if any fresh petitions challenging the validity of the law are filed in other courts, they too must be directly brought before the Supreme Court. “If there are any challenges to the validity of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, the same must not be entertained and must be transferred to the Supreme Court,” the bench directed.
