Four months after India's new online gaming framework took effect, not a single game has been registered under it. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) told the Central Information Commission that as of September 1, 2026, the Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI) had approved zero registrations, while receiving 201 gaming-related complaints.
The disclosure came through a Right to Information request seeking details on permitted games, complaints, and enforcement action against illegal platforms. MeitY initially cited older 2023 IT intermediary rules, which the applicant challenged as incomplete. During CIC proceedings, the ministry clarified that the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, along with its 2026 rules, represents a distinct regulatory approach from earlier guidelines, with Commissioner P.R. Ramesh noting that RTI law obligates disclosure of existing records, not new interpretations.
The Act, passed by Parliament in August 2025, marks a sharp shift from self-regulation to an outright ban on "online money games," any game involving financial stakes. It prohibits real-money gaming and related advertising entirely, restricts financial institutions from facilitating gaming-related fund transfers, and closes off any registration pathway for money games.
Only two categories remain eligible for registration: e-sports, which is exempt from the ban and actively promoted by the government, and online social games that charge subscription fees but do not allow wagering. Neither category has produced a single application since the rules became effective in May 2026.
The stakes are significant. India's gaming sector was valued at roughly Rs 1.7 lakh crore ($23 billion), with real-money gaming alone worth $3.2 billion and supporting about 130,000 jobs across 1,900 companies before the ban reshaped the industry.
The rollout has also triggered legal pushback, with affected companies challenging the framework in the Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi High Courts, adding further uncertainty to an already stalled registration process.
With zero registrations and mounting complaints four months in, the numbers suggest India's new gaming regulator is still struggling to operationalize a law that fundamentally restructured one of the country's fastest-growing digital industries.
