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What is an online money game?
Under the Act, it is an online game in which a user pays fees, deposits money or other stakes in expectation of monetary or other enrichment, subject to the statutory wording and Authority process.
Sources: The Gazette of India
What is prohibited?
- Offering or operating an online money game
- Facilitating or inducing access
- Direct or indirect advertising or promotion
- Processing related financial transactions
- Offering the service from abroad to users in India
Does skill make a money game permissible?
No. Official government material states that the prohibition covers chance, skill and combinations of both. The economic characteristics of the game matter.
Sources: Press Information Bureau
If a service asks for money
Do not deposit while identity or classification is unclear. Preserve the terms, payment request, UTR and operator details; avoid sending more money to unlock withdrawals. Report urgent financial cyber fraud through 1930 and cybercrime.gov.in.
Frequently asked questions
Can online money games advertise?
No. Their advertising and promotion are prohibited.
Does a foreign operator escape the law?
The Act also applies to services operated outside India but offered within India.
Sources and verification notes
- The Gazette of IndiaAct No. 32 of 2025, Gazette publication dated 22 August 2025Accessed 26 August 2026 ↗
- The Gazette of IndiaPromotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026 — G.S.R. 303(E)Accessed 26 August 2026 ↗
- The Gazette of IndiaCommencement of the 2025 Act on 1 May 2026 — S.O. 1994(E)Accessed 26 August 2026 ↗
- Press Information BureauPromotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026: official briefAccessed 26 August 2026 ↗
- Press Information BureauRules to come into force on 1 May 2026Accessed 26 August 2026 ↗
- Indian Cybercrime Coordination CentreNational Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and helpline 1930Accessed 26 August 2026 ↗
Editorial Team
Independent editors applying our documented source, app-identity and regulatory review method. No fictional qualifications or operator affiliation.