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Context is everything.
Detailed stories on technology startups, business and economic current affairs.
Detailed stories on technology startups, business and economic current affairs.
The Indian government has banned online real-money gaming citing health concerns, but the evidence for treating it the same way as drugs or tobacco remains thin.
Last week, the Indian government passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025. This effectively bans all online real-money gaming, including fantasy sports, rummy, poker and other cash-based games that together represent a multibillion-dollar industry.
Crucially, the bill frames this as a public health intervention, citing the World Health Organization’s recognition of “gaming disorder” as a mental health condition. India’s information technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has even compared real-money gaming to drug addiction, positioning it as a behavioural health crisis rather than just an entertainment or tech industry issue.
What isn’t clear is the evidence behind this framing. …
The loss of business could dent volumes, but should have next to no effect on the bottom line of payment companies
The complete ban on online gaming involving money is just the latest example of a country running on a whim. To anyone doing business in India, this should serve as a reminder that the axe of high-handed government regulation could fall at any time.
In a country where millions are already involved in online betting and gambling, allowing all kinds of real-money gaming apps on the Google Play Store, even with third-party verification, could have significant consequences.
