Online gaming rules to be notified within 15 days after consultations, says Ashwini Vaishnaw

The Indian government plans to notify rules governing online gaming within the next 15 days following extensive consultations across sectors, Union minister for electronics and information technology Ashwini Vaishnaw told Moneycontrol on January 22 at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that under India’s constitutional framework, the substantive provisions of a law come into effect once it is passed by Parliament, while its operational aspects are implemented through rules. He said the rules were ready and would be published within an outer limit of 15 days.

The minister, who also holds the portfolios of information and broadcasting and railways, said the framework was shaped after what he described as a significant level of consultation with multiple stakeholders. He informed that discussions were held with representatives from the gaming industry, the financial sector, regulatory bodies and law enforcement authorities.

India enacted a new online gaming law, the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, in August 2025. The legislation prohibits online money games in which users make deposits, directly or indirectly, with the expectation of earning winnings from those deposits.

The law grants the government broad powers to ban such games and prescribes penal action against operators, advertisers and financial intermediaries that facilitate or promote prohibited platforms.

The Act moved from cabinet approval to presidential assent within four days, making it one of the fastest legislative actions in recent parliamentary history.

Its implementation led to a sharp collapse of India’s real-money gaming industry, which had been valued at $3.5 billion, significantly reshaping the broader gaming ecosystem in the country.

In October, the government released draft rules outlining how the law would be operationalised and invited public feedback. The draft proposed the creation of the Online Gaming Authority of India, along with procedures for game registration, grievance redressal mechanisms and penalties for violations.