Gaming
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Gaming Bill will save our society from harmful effects of money games: PM Modi
By praising the legislation, Modi sought to underscore the government’s twin objectives: encouraging the growth of India’s e-sports and creative gaming ecosystem, while protecting vulnerable families and youth from the economic and social fallout of money gaming.
Modi’s post was in response to Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s statement, where he described the Bill as a “balanced approach – promoting what’s good, prohibiting what’s harmful for middle-class and youth.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday welcomed the passage of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, calling it a landmark step towards building India as a hub for gaming, innovation, and creativity, while shielding society from the perils of money-based online games.
In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Modi wrote: “This Bill, passed by both Houses of Parliament, highlights our commitment towards making India a hub for gaming, innovation and creativity. It will encourage e-sports and online social games. At the same time, it will save our society from the harmful effects of online money games.”
The prime minister’s remarks came shortly after Rajya Sabha cleared the Bill, which seeks to regulate e-sports, educational, and social gaming, while imposing a blanket ban on money gaming involving monetary stakes.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh have since long been demanding a crackdown on online money gaming menace. With Prime Minister applauding the gaming bill, now the industry faces a long legal battle.
Modi’s post was in response to Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s statement, where he described the Bill as a “balanced approach – promoting what’s good, prohibiting what’s harmful for middle-class and youth.” Vaishnaw, while introducing the legislation, warned that money gaming had emerged as a “public health issue” and cited reports estimating that nearly 45 crore people had been impacted, with financial losses amounting to ₹20,000 crore.
The minister had also cautioned about the darker side of online money games, pointing to risks such as money laundering, exploitation, and even terror financing. While he admitted the law could face legal scrutiny, he asserted that the government was “fully prepared to defend it in court.”
By praising the legislation, Modi sought to underscore the government’s twin objectives: encouraging the growth of India’s e-sports and creative gaming ecosystem, while protecting vulnerable families and youth from the economic and social fallout of money gaming.
The passage of the Online Gaming Bill 2025 is expected to have a sweeping impact on India’s digital entertainment sector, which has grown rapidly in recent years but faced criticism for lack of regulation and rising cases of addiction and financial distress linked to gambling-style platforms.
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