Cabinet clears bill to regulate online real money gaming platforms: Report

The Union Cabinet has approved a bill to regulate online gaming platforms involving real money, PTI reported on Tuesday, citing a person familiar with the development.

The proposed legislation is likely to be introduced in Parliament on Wednesday, according to the report.

“The Cabinet has approved the bill to regulate online gaming platforms that involve real money. The government is trying to table the bill in Parliament on Wednesday,” PTI quoted the person as saying.

The move comes after a series of measures in the past to bring certainty in the online gaming sector.

Through the Finance Act, 2023, the government imposed a 30% income tax on net winnings from online games with effect from the assessment year 2024-25. From October 1, 2023, online money gaming has been brought under the 28% GST slab, with suppliers required to obtain a single registration under the IGST Act. Offshore gaming platforms are also covered under these provisions.

The Directorate General of GST Intelligence has been empowered under the IT Act and IGST Act to direct intermediaries to block unregistered gaming platforms, including offshore operators, violating the law.

While “betting and gambling” fall under the State List of the Constitution, the Centre has been supplementing state efforts through advisories and capacity-building support to law enforcement agencies.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, prescribes imprisonment from one to seven years and fines for unauthorised betting and gambling.

The government has also tightened oversight on data protection and cybercrime in the sector. The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, lays down a legal framework for handling personal data, while the IT Act provides for blocking orders and penalises various cyber offences.

Between 2022 and February 2025, the Ministry of Electronics and IT issued 1,410 blocking directions against online betting, gambling and gaming websites and apps.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has set up the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and launched the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal to handle complaints.

A toll-free Helpline number ‘1930’ has been operationalised to get assistance in lodging online complaints.