The Lok Sabha has approved the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which prohibits online money games across India. This legislation aims to address increasing cases of financial fraud, money laundering, and gaming addiction, which may significantly impact the sports economy in the country, particularly cricket.
While the Bill is being praised as a significant advancement for esports and educational gaming, its limitations on real-money gaming platforms could pose challenges for the multibillion-dollar fantasy gaming sector that has supported cricket sponsorships up to this point.
What Does the New Bill Ban?
This legislation categorizes gaming into four segments: esports, educational gaming, social and casual gaming, and real-money gaming. Among these, real-money gaming, where players put in funds to play for cash prizes, is classified as a criminal activity.
Key prohibitions include:
- Individuals are forbidden from offering or participating in online money gaming services.
- Banks and financial institutions are prohibited from facilitating transactions related to these games.
- Advertising for online money games is banned across all platforms.
Penalties for violations are severe. Service providers could face up to three years in prison or fines of up to ₹1 crore, while advertisers risk up to two years in jail or fines of ₹50 lakh.
Impact on Indian Cricket
Few sectors are as closely tied to real-money gaming as Indian cricket. For example, Dream11 holds approximately ₹358 crore in title sponsorship rights for the Indian cricket team, and My11Circle is committed to a ₹625 crore deal as the official fantasy partner of the IPL.
If cash-based gaming models are banned, these sponsorship revenues could dry up, severely affecting:
- The BCCI’s central revenue pool from team and league sponsors.
- Franchise-based leagues in cricket, kabaddi, and football that depend on gaming sponsorships.
- Individual player endorsements, likely to decrease significantly.
Sports attorney Vidushpat Singhania believes that while Indian cricket will endure, it will face repercussions due to this bill.
Potential Adaptation of Fantasy Platforms
Industry experts suggest that fantasy gaming may shift to a subscription model, charging an entry fee instead of real-money stakes. However, such models may not yield the same revenue level as cash-based leagues, raising concerns about the sustainability of these platforms.
