India’s parliament has passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, a sweeping ban on real-money online gambling that targets card games, poker, and fantasy sports platforms including the country’s beloved fantasy cricket apps like Dream11.
The legislation, prompted by alarming government data showing $2.3 billion drained annually from 450 million users, criminalizes the offering, promotion, and financing of such games. Offenders could face up to five years in prison. The bill still awaits presidential ratification before becoming law.
The ban has thrown the future of Dream11’s high-profile sponsorship of India’s national cricket team into uncertainty. The platform, which signed a three-year deal in July 2023 to feature its logo on Team India jerseys, has already suspended its cash contests following the bill’s passage. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to issue a formal decision, but Secretary Devajit Saikia affirmed, “The BCCI will follow every policy of the country that is framed by the central government.
The government says the bill aims to curb addiction, financial ruin, and social distress caused by predatory platforms that exploit users with promises of quick wealth. While fantasy sports and betting apps face shutdown, the law carves out space for e-sports and educational games, which will be promoted as part of India’s digital economy strategy.
As the gaming industry braces for impact, the move signals a dramatic shift in India’s digital entertainment landscape one that prioritizes public welfare over profit.
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