India has passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Games Bill, 2025, which would ban all real-money gaming apps in the country, pending further approval.

Following the bill’s passage on Aug 21, platforms such as Dream11, Zupee, Probo, and Mobile Premier League have begun shutting down or suspending real-money gaming operations.

Dream11, the country’s largest fantasy sports platform, said it will stop its real-money games starting Aug 22, while Zupee and Probo also announced immediate halts to their paid offerings.

Mobile Premier League, based in Bengaluru, is suspending all money-based games in India.

Some companies, including Dream11 and My11Circle, are exploring options like entering overseas markets where real-money gaming is allowed or switching to free, ad-supported models.

Industry insiders say the shift is likely to affect revenues, as real-money gaming accounted for up to 70% of some firms’ income.

Legal experts suggest the law could face court challenges based on previous rulings favoring skill-based gaming.

🔗 Source: Economic Times

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ India abandons skill-based gaming distinction for blanket prohibition

The new bill marks a dramatic departure from India’s traditional legal framework that distinguished between games of skill and games of chance.

For decades, Indian courts have ruled that skill-based games like rummy and fantasy sports are legal, with the Supreme Court establishing that games where “skill predominates over chance” don’t constitute gambling 2. The Bombay High Court specifically ruled that fantasy sports platforms like Dream11 are skill-based and legal 2.

However, the Online Gaming Bill 2025 abandons this nuanced approach entirely, banning all real-money games regardless of whether they’re skill-based or chance-based 3.

This represents a fundamental shift from regulatory frameworks that attempted to balance consumer protection with legitimate gaming activities to a complete prohibition model.

2️⃣ Revenue model collapse forces industry-wide business restructuring

The ban threatens the core economics of India’s $3.8 billion gaming industry, with real-money gaming accounting for 60-70% of revenue for major companies 1.