India's online gaming Act and new Rules take effect on 1 May 2026

India's Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 and the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026 came into effect on 1 May 2026. The Rules were notified on 22 April 2026, according to Mondaq, The Quint and Talk eSport.

The Act was passed by the Lok Sabha on 20 August 2025 and by the Rajya Sabha on 21 August 2025, and received presidential assent on 22 August 2025. It prohibits online money games, including real-money skill games.

The Rules set up the Online Gaming Authority of India. It is headed by an Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and includes representatives of six ministries. Its tasks are classification, registration, grievances and enforcement.

Games are classed as online money games, which are prohibited; online social games; or e-sports. Money games cannot be classed as e-sports.

Registration certificates can be valid for up to 10 years, and the Authority can suspend or cancel registrations and impose penalties. The Rules also require user-safety features, including:

• age verification
• parental controls
• time limits
• grievance mechanisms

Key dates:

• 20 August 2025: Lok Sabha passes the Act
• 21 August 2025: Rajya Sabha passes the Act
• 22 August 2025: presidential assent
• 22 April 2026: Rules notified
• 1 May 2026: Act and Rules come into effect

The timeline shows a gap of about eight months between the Act receiving assent and the Rules coming into force.

In context: the Rules turn the 2025 Act into a working framework, with a single body responsible for classifying games and enforcing the categories.

18+ only. This article is for information, not advice to gamble. Responsible gambling.