India has brought its new online gaming rules into force, giving the central government a formal process to classify games and enforce the country’s ban on online money games. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026 took effect on May 1 under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025.
The framework creates the Online Gaming Authority of India, a central regulator under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Its job is to separate prohibited games from permitted games and esports, then oversee registration, complaints, directions and enforcement.
The rules set a 90-day classification process
The rules give the authority a formal test for deciding whether a product is allowed to be live in India. It can examine a game’s technical design, gameplay mechanics, revenue model, user interface and other details before making a determination.
A decision should be made within 90 days of a complete application or, in a regulator-led review, within 90 days of notice. If the authority finds a game should be prohibited, it can issue a determination order and start action under the Act.
The determination applies only to the specific game and provider being reviewed. Similar games from other providers do not automatically receive the same status, which means operators may need separate decisions for separate products.
Esports and social games get a registration route
The rules also create a registration system for online social games and esports. Registration may be required where the government sees risk to users, including children, or where a game has microtransactions, financial transactions, cross-border elements or where other public interests are concerned.
Any game offered as an esport must go through registration. The rules state that an i-gaming product cannot be recognized or registered as an esport under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025.
Registered providers can receive a digital Certificate of Registration valid for up to 10 years. The registration is game-specific, so each covered game from each provider needs its own approval.
Enforcement now moves to the new authority
The authority will be chaired by an Additional Secretary from MeitY, with senior representatives from home affairs, finance, information and broadcasting, youth affairs and sports, and law and justice.
Its early work is expected to focus on esports registrations and user complaints. Platforms must provide safety features such as age checks, time limits, parental controls, reporting tools, grievance systems and counselling support where required.
The rules now turn India’s 2025 ban from a broad legal position into an operating framework. The next step is the authority’s first wave of determinations, registrations and enforcement decisions.
