Govt proposes MeitY-led Online Gaming Authority to steer digital games, RMG ban

New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) The government has proposed setting up Online Gaming Authority of India chaired by Ministry of Electronics and IT to drive e-sports, digital social games and real money game (RMG) ban.

According to draft rules issued under Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming (PROG) Act 2025, the authority will work in coordination with the central government department representing information and broadcasting, youth affairs and sports and financial services.

The draft proposes recognition and promotion of e-sport under PROG Act to be administered by the Youth Affairs and Sports ministry and provisions relating to promotion of online social games shall be administered by the information and broadcasting ministry.

"With effect from such date as the central government may by notification in the Official Gazette appoint, there shall be established an Authority to be called the Online Gaming Authority of India," the draft said.

The authority will function as a digital office and may adopt technological measures to conduct proceedings in a manner that does not require the physical presence of any individual.

The chairperson of Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI) will be in the rank of the Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) or a joint secretary in the absence of an additional secretary.

The authority will approve the e-sports and online social game that can be legally played in the country as well as cancel or suspend registration of any online social game or e-sport if found in violation of the Act.

In case the authority finds that an online game is an online money game then it will direct the online game service provider to cease offering the game immediately, prohibit advertising, promotion, or facilitation of the game and initiate action prescribed under the Act.

The Act prescribes imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine which may extend to Rs 1 crore or with both for any person who offers online money gaming services.

Entities engaged in advertisement of online money games will be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to Rs 50 lakh or with both, as per the Act.

Any person who engages in any transaction or authorisation of funds in contravention of the Act shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine which may extend to Rs 1 crore or with both.

Draft rules proposed to allow any authorised officer under the rules to enter any place, whether physical or digital, and search and arrest without warrant any person found to be suspicious of having committed or about to commit any offence under the PROG Act 2025.

"Notwithstanding anything contained in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, offences under section 5 and section 7 shall be cognizable and non-bailable," the draft rules said.

Section 5 under the draft rules prohibits entities from offering, aiding, abetting, inducing or engaging in online money games and online money gaming services.

Section 7 bars banks, financial institutions, or any other person from facilitating financial transactions for any online money gaming service.

The draft rules have been framed under Section 19 of the PROG Act, which received the President's assent and was notified on August 22.

The Act approved by Parliament in August bars online money games and money-based gaming services in the country, as well as their promotion.

The rules propose protection to officers or persons authorised to conduct searches of suspicious places, including devices under the Act, from any sort of lawsuit or legal proceedings.

The Ministry of Electronics and IT has invited feedback and comments on the draft rules by October 31. PTI PRS PRS ANU ANU