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India's Online Gaming Law Explained: PROG Act 2025 and 2026 Rules for Esports

The Gaming Diary
21 hours ago
4 min read

India now has a national law for online games. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming (PROG) Act, 2025 and the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026 both came into force on 1 May 2026. The law bans online money games, recognises esports, and creates a new regulator, the Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI).

This guide explains what the law says, what it means for esports titles like BGMI, Free Fire and VALORANT, and what has actually happened since May 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.

Quick facts

  • Law: Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025

  • Passed by Parliament: Lok Sabha on 20 August 2025, Rajya Sabha on 21 August 2025

  • Presidential assent: 22 August 2025

  • Rules notified: 22 April 2026, by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)

  • In force from: 1 May 2026 (both the Act and the Rules)

  • Regulator: Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI), head office in Delhi

Timeline: from bill to enforcement

  • 20 August 2025: Lok Sabha passes the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025.

  • 21 August 2025: Rajya Sabha passes the bill.

  • 22 August 2025: the President gives assent, so the bill becomes an Act.

  • 12 October 2025: MeitY publishes draft rules for public comment.

  • 22 April 2026: MeitY notifies the final Rules and sets up the Online Gaming Authority of India.

  • 1 May 2026: the Act and the Rules come into force.

The three types of online games

The law puts every online game into one of three groups:

  • Online money games: games where players put in money expecting to win money. These are prohibited. Authorities can block unlawful platforms under the IT Act, 2000.

  • E-sports: competitive games recognised as sport. The law treats these as a sector to promote.

  • Online social games: casual and recreational games. These are allowed, and the government can require registration for specific categories.

A key rule: an online money game can never be registered or recognised as an e-sport. E-sports must also be recognised under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025 (SCC Online summary).

What the Online Gaming Authority of India does

The 2026 Rules set up the OGAI as a single, digital-first regulator under MeitY. Its main jobs are:

  • Decide ("determine") whether a game is an online money game, an e-sport or a social game.

  • Register e-sports titles and any other game categories the government notifies.

  • Handle complaints and appeals through a two-tier process.

  • Enforce the law: impose penalties, suspend or cancel a registration, or ban a game from being offered or promoted for a set period.

The final Rules made the OGAI a fully inter-ministerial body, a change from the draft, according to MediaNama.

Do esports games like BGMI need registration?

Yes. Registration is mandatory for games offered as e-sports, and each game needs its own registration. The publisher, not the player, applies.

On 29 July 2026, Minister of State for Electronics and IT Jitin Prasada confirmed in the Lok Sabha that games offered as e-sports must be determined and registered with the OGAI (Storyboard18).

For other games, Rule 12 lets the government require registration by notification. It looks at the risk of harm to users (including children), the scale of use, the value of money transactions and the provider's country of origin. Under the draft rules, social games were exempt and registration was voluntary; the final Rules removed that blanket exemption (Fox Mandal).

What has happened since May 2026

The law is in force, but registration is slow. As of 1 September 2026, the OGAI had registered zero esports titles, and no esports game, BGMI and VALORANT included, held a certificate under the new Rules, TalkEsport reported.

For tournament organisers and teams, this creates uncertainty. Major events have continued. For example, BGMI events such as BGIS 2026 and Free Fire's FFMIC 2026 went ahead in 2026. But the exact compliance steps for organisers are still unclear until titles are registered.

What this means for you

  • Players: free-to-play esports games such as BGMI, Free Fire and VALORANT are not online money games. You can keep playing and competing. Real-money betting and "pay to win cash" apps are banned.

  • Teams and organisers: watch for each game's OGAI registration status, because recognised e-sports titles must be registered.

  • Publishers: each title offered as an e-sport needs determination and registration with the OGAI.

  • Parents: the law focuses on protecting users, including children, from financial harm and addiction.

Frequently asked questions

Is online gaming banned in India?

No. Only online money games, where players stake money to win money, are banned. E-sports and online social games are allowed.

When did India's online gaming law come into force?

The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 and the 2026 Rules came into force on 1 May 2026.

What is the Online Gaming Authority of India?

The OGAI is the regulator set up under MeitY by the 2026 Rules. It classifies games, registers e-sports titles, handles complaints and enforces the law.

Is BGMI registered as an esport under the new law?

Not as of 1 September 2026. TalkEsport reported that the OGAI had not registered any esports title, including BGMI, by that date.

Can a money game become an esport?

No. The Rules say an online money game cannot be registered or recognised as an e-sport.

Sources

Sources:

About the Author

The Gaming Diary Editorial Team: This article is by The Gaming Diary Editorial Team. The team covers gaming, esports and the Indian gaming industry.

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