Industry executives and legal experts responded favorably to Wednesday’s “Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025,” calling it groundbreaking and comprehensive.

They claim that the law addresses major societal issues like addiction, financial security, fraud, and money laundering in addition to acknowledging e-sports as a new aspect of competitive sport.

The Online Gaming Bill, according to Railways and Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, aims to safeguard society while promoting e-sports and online social game developers as creative forces.

“One significant area of Digital Bharat is online gaming. Online games fall into three categories: e-Sports, which is training-based and frequently involves teams; Online Social Games, which are enjoyable, instructive, and community-based; and Online Money Games, which are addictive, damaging, and involve financial stakes“, he said in a series of posts on social media platform X.

E-sports, like football or cricket, demand strategy, quick thinking, and teamwork. “The Bill grants e-sports legal status. To promote them, the government will start initiatives and programs,” he said.

“Thousands of grievances and complaints have been filed nationwide. The government prioritizes family safety over all other considerations. PM Narendra Modi has consistently favored middle-class families when deciding between the welfare of society and government revenue,” Vaishnaw stated.

The Bill suggests establishing a centralized authority to manage the sector’s strategic planning, policy coordination, and regulatory enforcement.

In addition to recognizing e-sport as a separate sport, the Bill establishes a National e-Sports Authority and a National Gaming Authority to regulate, categorize, investigate, and restrict illegal platforms.

Card games, casual brain games, and online social games like Angry Birds are acknowledged as safe ways to communicate and learn.

Gaming industry leaders applauded the government’s initiative to support e-sports. The step is positive, according to Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN gambling, but he emphasized the need for precise definitions to differentiate between social games, e-sports, and real-money gambling.

Terminology ambiguity has frequently led to misunderstandings among investors, players, and authorities. “A stable environment that encourages investor confidence and sustainable growth will be created by clear definitions,” he stated.

The CEO and co-founder of S8UL, Animesh Agarwal, referred to the Bill as a “historic turning point” for Indian e-sports. He claimed that the rule protects the ecosystem’s integrity while allowing for controlled growth by clearly defining the boundaries between skill-based gaming and betting.

“Skill, discipline, and years of hard work are the foundations of esports. India has the potential to become a global powerhouse with the right infrastructure and official recognition, he continued.

When it comes to real-money gaming, legal experts have also noted that the Bill marks a change from regulation to ban.

While Indian law has historically permitted skill games with monetary stakes, the new rule forbids them even if they entail real-money play, according to Vikram Jeet Singh, partner at BTG Advaya.

He pointed out that this addresses worries about money laundering and societal harm and comes in line with recent court rulings.

The Indian Digital Gambling Society (IDGS) has endorsed the government’s action, stating that it is pleased that e-sports and the differentiation between casual video games and real-money gambling are now recognized.