The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 was passed by Parliament and published in the Official Gazette on 22 August 2025, and came into force on 1 May 2026. Constitutional challenges were transferred to the Supreme Court on 8 September 2025 and remain pending, without a stay.
Timeline
- August 2025, the Bill passes Parliament; Rajya Sabha approval on 22 August 2025.
- 22 August 2025, published in the Official Gazette.
- 8 September 2025: Supreme Court transfers pending High Court challenges to itself under Article 139A.
- December 2025, hearing deferred; matter referred to a larger three-judge bench.
- 1 May 2026, the Act comes into force.
Editorial explainer, not legal advice. The law here is contested and moving, constitutional challenges are pending before the Supreme Court. For decisions about your own position, consult a qualified Indian lawyer.
Why the gap matters when you read older articles
Analysis written between August 2025 and May 2026 frequently described commencement as "pending" or "expected in the coming months", accurate at the time. Coverage written before August 2025 describes the older state-by-state position entirely. Check the publication date of anything you read on this topic, including this page.
Current status
In force, not stayed, under constitutional challenge. See where the Supreme Court challenge stands.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Was there a transition period?
Yes, roughly eight months between gazetting on 22 August 2025 and commencement on 1 May 2026, during which operators wound down real-money services.
Does the Act apply retrospectively?
It operates from commencement. Separate tax litigation concerning retrospective GST on these games is a distinct matter.
Sources
Every legal claim on this page traces to the material below. Primary sources are the statute and government notifications themselves.
- The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 (Act No. 32 of 2025) — full text(opens in a new tab) — Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of IndiaPrimary source
- Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 — official announcement(opens in a new tab) — Press Information Bureau, Government of IndiaPrimary source
- Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026(opens in a new tab) — Press Information Bureau, Government of IndiaPrimary source
- The Online Gaming Act, 2025 — redrawing India's online gaming landscape(opens in a new tab) — Trilegal
