With the government passing the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, in the Parliament on Thursday, it is now mulling putting in place ‘prohibition clauses’ ahead of the other sections in a bid to immediately ban all forms of real-money online games, while encouraging the growth of e-sports and free-to-play social games.
In lieu of the development, two popular gaming platforms – WinZO and PokerBaazi (backed by Moonshine Technologies) – have announced suspension of their real-money online gaming operations.
In a regulatory filing, Nazara Technologies said that its associate company, Moonshine Technologies Pvt Ltd, which owns and operates PokerBaazi, has suspended its real-money offerings in line with the new legislation.
“Pursuant to the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, passed by the Parliament on August 21, 2025 and pending enactment, we wish to inform that, as a matter of abundant caution and in due respect of the government’s mandate, Moonshine Technologies Private Limited, an associate company in which Nazara Technologies Limited holds a 46.07 per cent stake, has ceased offering real money online gaming operations,” it said in the filing.
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Meanwhile, WinZO, which holds a portfolio of over 100 real money games including Rummy, Solitaire, Dehla Pakad, Fantasy Cricket, and Poker, said it is "responsibly withdrawing impacted offerings" in full compliance with the law of the land, effective immediately.
The Mobile Premier League (MPL) has also suspended all of its real-money gaming offerings in India, saying, "Effective immediately, we are suspending all gaming offerings involving money on the MPL platform in India.”
"Our foremost priority is our users. While new deposits will no longer be accepted, customers will be able to withdraw their balances seamlessly. However, online money games will not be available on the MPL platform anymore," it said in a LinkedIn post on Thursday.
While MPL has over 120 million registered users across Asia, Europe, and North America, Zupee also announced that it has discontinued all paid games.
However, its free titles, such as Ludo Supreme, Ludo Turbo, Snakes & Ladders, and Trump Card Mania, continue to remain available.
India’s domestic gaming sector has seen massive growth over the past five years, attracting nearly USD 3.7 billion in 2024 and projected to touch USD 9.1 billion by 2029.
According to the India Gaming Report 2025, India accounts for around 20 per cent of the world’s gaming user base and 15.1 per cent of global gaming app downloads, showing a growth rate of 19.6 per cent.
It attracted USD 3 billion in FDI and is home to more than 1,800 gaming startups.
Critics have taken the government’s gaming legislation with a pinch of salt, calling it a “sunrise sector” with a valuation exceeding ₹2 lakh crore and annual revenue of over ₹31,000 crore.
Ananay Jain, Partner at Grant Thornton Bharat, said the legislation is a double-edged sword.
“By setting clear boundaries and imposing strict penalties on operators, advertisers, and financial intermediaries associated with prohibited games, it enforces accountability and safeguards users. However, the blanket restrictions on certain real-money games may stifle segments of the gaming market that were previously generating significant revenue, particularly in mobile gaming and tournament-based platforms.
Smaller startups and emerging developers may face compliance burdens and financial strain due to penalties and regulatory requirements. Additionally, the Bill could slow the pace of certain innovations in skill-based monetised platforms, as companies navigate a complex legal landscape," he said.
Meanwhile, industry bodies such as the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), the E-Gaming Federation (EGF), and the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) expressed concerns in a joint letter to Home Minister Amit Shah earlier this week.
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