1.46 billion people have just been barred from doing this on their phones, are you one of them?

– Federal IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, August 2025

The legislation, formally called the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025, was pushed forward by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, which argued that such games pose a high risk of financial loss and can cause long-term psychological harm. Lawmakers framed the move as a necessary step to address what they described as a growing social evil.

The sudden decision has sent shockwaves through the industry, which was valued in the billions and projected to reach $3.6 billion by 2029. Backed by major investors, India’s fantasy sports and real-money gaming platforms had been expanding rapidly, drawing millions of users who created cricket teams on Dream11, played rummy and poker on Games24x7, or joined prize pools on Mobile Premier League. Overnight, the future of these companies was thrown into doubt, as another report states.

In the hours following the ban, some of India’s biggest platforms, including Dream11, PokerBaazi, and Mobile Premier League, suspended their money-based gaming features.

Industry executives are bracing for layoffs, closures, and the collapse of an ecosystem that had drawn billions in foreign funding and offered tens of thousands of jobs. At the same time, gaming associations and company leaders are preparing legal challenges.

They argue that the government rushed the bill without consultation, that the sweeping definition unfairly includes skill-based games like poker, and that the measure risks wiping out a legitimate and thriving sector.

Personally, I can relate to both sides of the argument: online gambling can be (and definitely is) a tragedy for too many people, but responsible adults shouldn’t be barred from playing a poker game or two, if they feel like it. Then again, how does a government control online gambling besides banning it? It’s a complicated digital world we’re living in, folks.