MeitY issues the draft Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2025 inviting public consultation and comments

In brief

On 2 October 2025¹, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) introduced the Draft Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2025 (draft rules) under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 (Gaming Act) notified on 22 August 2025². The draft rules aim to implement the Gaming Act by providing procedures for registration, appeals, etc., compliance requirements; and administrative frameworks for all stakeholders in the online gaming sector. These draft rules are currently open for public consultation and comments.

The draft rules provide enabling provisions to encourage the structured growth of legitimate e-sports and social gaming ecosystems; lay down a framework for the determination of an online game as online money game or otherwise; prescribe a framework for the recognition, categorisation and registration of legitimate e-sports and online social games; mandate the maintenance of a National Online Social Games and e-sports Registry; provide a transparent, digital and accountable regulatory framework; and offer a strong grievance redressal mechanism to safeguard users.