Real Money Gaming: On Tuesday, August 19, 2025, the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 was proposed in Parliament. The Act was fully passed on 22nd August 2025 and became fully functional from October 1, 2025.
Just like any other Act, the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act also faced challenges. And now, according to sources, it might be time to witness some changes in the Act. To make it better and more beneficial for the country. Here are all the details.
Supreme Court to exempt online sports events from gaming ban?
On Tuesday, 4th November 2025, the Supreme Court indicated that skilled-based online tournaments and competitions may not come under the range of the Promotion and Regulation of the Online Gaming Act, 2025. The Act, which prohibits legalization of real-money gaming in India, might have to excuse online games and banking transactions and advertisements related to it, that require skills and don’t fall under the category of betting and gambling based games.
This statement came out after a plea filed in court by an online chess player put new light on the case that is already facing major backlash from various online gaming professionals and multiple platforms.
Bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice K.V. Viswanathan, after getting the plea, remarked that online game tournaments focused on skill-based competition, rather than betting, might be “completely excluded” from the law’s purview.
However, the verdict is still not complete as the hearing is still going on and the discission is still pending. Therefore, the court has scheduled the next detailed hearing on this case on 26th November 2025.
Real Money Gaming – The challenges
When the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming bill came into effect, it targeted the malpractices of online gambling. Practeces that led to families going bankrupt and people committing suicide due to losses on such online bets. But skill-based games that don’t promote gambling were exempted from this bill.
When a chess player knocked at the door of the supreme court regarding his livelihood that is depended on participating in online tournaments, the court acted immediately. The supreme court gave oral remarks about online tournaments. It said esports where players paid a participation fee and competed for prizes don’t fall under the category of banned games.
Justice Pardiwala also stated that the government had no objection to tournaments or competitions of skill while bringing the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming bill into effect. Therefore, this plea also got tagged under the batch of petitions filed by online gaming platforms challenging the 2025 Act. All these pleas have argued that the bill has forced widespread shutdowns and layoffs of many individuals. Leaving them completely helpless.
Real Money Gaming – What’s Next?
With so many people challenging the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming bill for not being precise with its category of banning online betting, the Supreme Court’s indication, after noticing so many issues with thousands of people and platforms, that online tournaments may be exempt could bring relief to thousands of esports players, fantasy sports professionals, and skill-based gaming platforms.
Therefore, the Supreme Court has ordered the Union government of India to file a comprehensive counter-affidavit. And it should be done before the next scheduled hearing on this case. In the affidavit, the GOI is supposed to address the concerns raised by both professional players and gaming platforms. This will further help the Supreme Court establish a clarification.
The upcoming hearing on this case on 26th November 2025 is important for multiple reasons. Not only will it help the chess player get clarity on his plea. But it will also create a legal distinction between games of skill and games of chance. This will help thousands of online tournament players, the business community, platforms and everyone who is concerned about the new gaming bill, understand their dos and don’ts better.
With all this happening in relation with the new gaming bill, it will be interesting to see how the turn of events will unfold. Mgcbuzz.com is keeping a close eye on this matter. Stay tuned with us to regularly get the latest updates, bureaucratic statements, and official decisions on this story.
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