Online Gaming Bill 2025: How it could impact platforms like Dream11, MyTeam11 and RummyCircle

When I read that the Rajya Sabha approved the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 yesterday, my first thought was how dramatically this could alter India’s online gaming ecosystem. For years, the sector has grown in a largely grey regulatory space, and now, with this single move, the government has drawn bold new boundaries.

The bill is not just another piece of legislation; it’s a framework that separates e-sports and social games, which are encouraged, from real-money games, which will be heavily restricted. Platforms like Dream11, MyTeam11, RummyCircle, and MPL are suddenly staring at a future that looks very different from the one they imagined even a week ago.

What the Bill Proposes

The law establishes an Online Gaming Authority to oversee the sector, enforce compliance, and guide its development. What struck me most while going through its provisions is how comprehensive the approach is—it doesn’t only target players but cuts off gaming companies at the level of advertising, financial transactions, and platform operations.

Some key measures include:

• Ban on betting and wagering: No online game involving monetary stakes will be permitted.
  
  

• Advertisement restrictions: Platforms cannot promote real-money gaming.
  
  

• Banking limitations: Financial institutions won’t be allowed to process payments for banned games.
  
  

• Heavy penalties: Non-compliance could mean fines of ₹50 lakh to ₹2 crore, up to three years in prison, and even the closure of offending platforms.
  
  

Which Platforms Will Feel the Heat?

It’s clear that the brunt of the impact will fall on real-money gaming platforms. The list includes:

• Dream11
  
  

• Mobile Premier League (MPL)
  
  

• My11Circle
  
  

• RummyCircle
  
  

• PokerBaazi
  
  

• GamesKraft (RummyCulture)
  
  

• WinZO
  
  

• Junglee Games
  
  

• Games24x7
  
  

• SG11 Fantasy
  

Even Nazara Technologies, though not a direct operator of money games, could be indirectly affected through its investments.

From my perspective, fantasy sports platforms like Dream11 and MyTeam11 may find ways to adapt—perhaps shifting more contests toward free-to-play or e-sports models. But rummy and poker operators such as RummyCircle and PokerBaazi face existential challenges, as their business depends almost entirely on money play.

Why the Government Acted

In Parliament, Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw described real-money gaming as a public health concern, and the reasoning is hard to dismiss. According to government data, nearly 45 crore Indians lose about ₹20,000 crore annually on such platforms. The fallout has included cases of fraud, addiction, and financial distress within families.

The bill now categorizes gaming into three groups:

1. E-sports – skill-based and internationally recognized.
   
   

2. Social games – casual and non-monetary.
   
   

3. Online money games – high-risk activities requiring strict oversight.
   
   

The intent is clear: nurture the first two, restrict the third.

What Comes Next?

From where I stand, this bill feels like both a challenge and an opportunity. For years, the lack of regulation allowed platforms to grow unchecked. Now, with rules firmly in place, companies must make hard choices—reinvent, pivot, or risk closure.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Dream11 experiments with free-to-play contests or collaborates more with the e-sports ecosystem. I also expect to see a wave of innovation in social gaming, as developers look to capture an audience that still wants to play but without the risks of financial loss. On the other hand, platforms centered on rummy and poker may find it far harder to adapt.

Conclusion

The Online Gaming Bill 2025, approved by the Rajya Sabha yesterday, is more than regulation—it’s a reset button for the Indian gaming industry. By drawing a firm line between safe entertainment and risky money play, the government is attempting to protect citizens while still promoting growth in e-sports and social gaming.

The ripple effects will be significant. Players will notice immediate changes in how platforms operate, and companies will be forced into rapid reinvention. But in the long run, this could pave the way for a more sustainable, credible, and globally competitive gaming ecosystem in India.

As I see it, the coming months will reveal which platforms can evolve with this new reality—and which ones will fade into history.