Centre notifies online gaming rules, says registration not mandatory for most non-money games

• Government sets up Online Gaming Authority, keeps most social games outside mandatory registration net

New Delhi, 22-04-2026: The central government on Wednesday notified the much-awaited rules to operationalize the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, formally laying down the regulatory framework for the country’s online gaming sector and signalling a largely light-touch approach for most non-money games. The new rules, which will come into effect from May 1, 2026, also pave the way for the establishment of the Online Gaming Authority of India, a digital-first regulatory body that will oversee classification, registration, grievance redressal and enforcement in the sector.

In a major relief for a large section of the industry, the government clarified that prior determination or registration will not be mandatory for most online social games. Officials said the objective was to keep the framework as regulation-light as possible, allowing games that do not fall into the prohibited money gaming category to operate without being burdened by compulsory classification or registration in most cases. However, esports will require mandatory registration as specified in the parent law, while online money games remain explicitly prohibited.

The newly notified rules also introduce the concept of “user safety features” as an enabling safeguard, with game providers expected to adopt protections suited to the risk profile of their offerings. These may include age verification, age-gating, parental controls, time restrictions, user reporting systems, counselling support and fair-play or integrity monitoring mechanisms. Service providers seeking determination or registration will have to disclose these safety measures as well as their internal grievance redressal systems.

A key feature of the framework is the “determination” process, which is designed to assess whether a game qualifies as an online money game, and is therefore prohibited, or whether it falls under permissible categories such as online social games or esports. This test can be triggered in three situations, including a suo motu review initiated by the authority, an esports offering by a provider, or where the government notifies a category of social games based on the nature, volume or value of financial transactions or authorisation of funds involved in participation. The determination process is to be completed within 90 days of a complete application or notice.

The rules specify that factors such as payment of fees or money deposits during participation, the expectation of monetary winnings, the structure of the revenue model and the redemption or monetisation of rewards or in-game assets outside the platform will all be considered while deciding the nature of a game. This is intended to create a transparent and time-bound mechanism for separating lawful games from those that may involve prohibited money gaming elements.

The Online Gaming Authority of India, constituted as an attached office of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, will function as a multi-sectoral body chaired by the Additional Secretary of MeitY. It will include representatives from the Ministries of Home Affairs, Finance, Information and Broadcasting, Youth Affairs and Sports, and Law and Justice. The authority will maintain and publish lists of online money games, inquire into complaints, issue directions and codes of practice, hear appeals against service providers’ grievance decisions and coordinate with banks and law enforcement agencies for effective compliance.

The rules also establish a formal grievance redressal structure. Every provider offering an online social game or esports service must maintain a functional grievance mechanism. If a user is dissatisfied with the company’s response, or receives no redressal, an appeal can be filed before the Online Gaming Authority within 30 days. A second appeal may then lie before the Secretary, MeitY.

Another important aspect of the framework concerns financial oversight. Banks and financial institutions will be required to ensure that financial transactions are restricted to legitimate and registered gaming entities where applicable. The authority will also have the power to direct banks to suspend, restrict or discontinue transactions if a game is determined to be an online money game. Overall, the newly notified rules seek to balance innovation and industry growth with user protec