Parliament passes Online Gaming Bill 2025, Dream11, MPL, Zupee suspend money-based games amid industry upheaval

New Delhi (India) August 22: The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 gets approved by Parliament. India's leading real-money gaming (RMG) businesses, such as Dream11 parent Dream Sports, Gameskraft, Mobile Premier League (MPL), and Zupee reportedly begins to halt contests and paid games on their platforms.

Bill Bans Real-Money Games

The bill was approved this week by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. It aims to outlaw all online money games. These include those in which players make direct or indirect deposits of money in the hopes of winning. The bill also intends to advance online social gaming and eSports.

For more than ten years, fantasy sports and real-money gambling have changed the rules governing sports sponsorship and advertising in India. Cricket quickly becomes a multi-crore advertising playground because of platforms like Dream11, MPL, and My11Circle.

Sports Advertising Impact

The emergence of fantasy sports produced a new ecosystem that flourishes for marketers, broadcasters, and even grassroots leagues. It starts from dazzling IPL advertisements to celebrity endorsements.

That ecosystem is now seeing abrupt upheaval as a result of Parliament enacting the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025. It outlaws all online games that require payment.

Platforms for fantasy sports are among the biggest consumers of sports advertising. According to reports, Dream11 alone has cricket sponsorship deals of Rs 350 crore. My11Circle has five-year IPL fantasy rights for Rs 625 crore.

Their combined expenditures contribute to the Indian sports advertising market reaching Rs 16,600 crore in 2024.

RMG Giants Halt Operations

Dream 11 says that "cash games and contests have been discontinued" as a result of the bill's passage. But now it encourages supporters to "stay tuned."

According to sources, Dream Sports suspends all "Pay to Play" competitions on Dream Picks. It is a brand-new fantasy sports app that was released earlier this year, and Dream Play, a casual RMG product.

Zupee also stops selling paid games. However it states that free games including Trump Card Mania, Snakes & Ladders, Ludo Supreme, and Ludo Turbo will still be accessible.

An official says, “Zupee remains fully operational and our players can continue to enjoy their favourite games on the platform. In line with the new Online Gaming Bill 2025, we are discontinuing paid games.” 

Industry Pushback Expected

Indian gaming organizations are in talks with lawyers. They are considering petitioning the Supreme Court to overturn the ban. They argue that certain games, like poker, should be allowed because they are skill-based. It should not have been banned, and that there was insufficient consultation.

The bill is being spearheaded by Union Minister of Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw. It forbids the promotion of money games and instructs banks and other financial institutions to prevent payments for these sites. Offering prohibited money games might result in a fine and a maximum three-year jail sentence.