Cabinet approves Gaming Bill to regulate e-sports and prohibit online betting

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday approved the Online Gaming Bill, making online betting a punishable offence, as per ET sources.

The bill is likely to be introduced in the Lok Sabha tomorrow, said an ET Now report.

This follows a rise in fraud cases in recent months, with investigating agencies also stepping up action against celebrities promoting such applications.


As per the official document, the bill enables the promotion of e-Sports and online social games but facilitates the creation of an authority or designating an existing authority or agency to perform any of the functions related to online games including e-Sports and online social games.

The bill further proposes to prohibit offering, aiding, abetting, inducing in the offering of any online money gaming service and declares it as an offence.

It also proposes to prohibit the offering, aiding, abetting, inducing or being involved in the making or causing to be made of advertisements that promote any person to play any online money game and declares it as an offence.

Further, the bill aims to prohibit the transfer of funds by permitting, aiding, abetting, inducing or facilitating any transaction or authorisation of funds by banks, financial institutions or any other person towards payment for any online money games and declares it as an offence.

It also lays down fines and punishment for offences and more serious punishments for repeated offences. It also provides for blocking of information related to online money games and enables authorities to investigate, search and seize property.