Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming (PROG) Act, 2025 was enacted by Parliament in August 2025 as a landmark legislation to safeguard citizens from the growing menace of online money games while creating an enabling framework for e-sports and online social games. The Act reflects the Government’s resolve, articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to position India as a global hub for gaming, innovation and creativity, and at the same time protect society from the financial, psychological and social distress caused by predatory online money gaming platforms.
Section 19 of the Act empowers the Central Government to make rules to carry out its provisions. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), as the nodal Ministry, has accordingly prepared the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026 (“the Rules”), which will come into force on 1st May, 2026. The Rules have been finalised after extensive inter-Ministerial consultations and vetting by the Department of Legal Affairs.
Purpose of the Rules
The Rules are the operational architecture of the parent Act. Their purpose is to:
-provide a clear, transparent and time-bound mechanism to determine whether an online game is an online money game (and therefore prohibited) or a permissible online social game or e-sport;
-establish the Online Gaming Authority of India as a unified, digital-first regulator for the sector;
create a statutory registration regime for e-sports and such categories of online social games as may be notified;
-prescribe mandatory user safety features, grievance redressal and transparency obligations for online game service providers;
-lay down the procedure for inquiry and imposition of civil penalties under section 12 of the Act; and
-provide an appellate mechanism to ensure accountability, fairness and observance of the principles of natural justice.