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Govt may mandate registration for online games from China, Pakistan, Turkey
India notified the final rules under the PROG Act, 2025, outlining a potential registration framework for online social games linked to certain countries and establishing a banking-based enforcement mechanism. The act had received Presidential assent in 2025, with the final rules issued on April 22, 2026 and the rules taking effect on May 1, 2026. The process followed a draft in October 2025 and ongoing inter-ministerial vetting.
Why It Matters
The rules introduce a new regulatory layer for online gaming, potentially affecting cross-border providers, user safety features, and how payments for online games are processed and monitored.
Timeline
8 Events
E-sports registration and online money games
April 22, 2026
Registration for e-sports is mandatory; online money games remain banned from being registered as e-sports, with banks required to suspend related transactions on Authority direction.
Key rule changes on governance and enforcement
April 22, 2026
The final rules modify the Authority’s composition by adding joint secretaries from Home Affairs and Legal Affairs, remove some earlier powers, and specify data retention and periodic compliance reporting requirements.
Origin-based registration provision and current status
April 22, 2026
A provision allows mandatory registration of a game or category by notification based on risk, scale of participation, financial transactions, and country of origin or headquarters. As of April 22, 2026, no such notification had been issued.
Implementation timeline set for May 1, 2026
April 22, 2026
The rules and the PROG Act come into force on May 1, 2026.
Final rules notified under PROG Act 2025
April 22, 2026
The government notified the final rules on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. The rules establish an Authority to oversee online social games and e-sports, introduce a determination framework for online money games, set up a parallel enforcement mechanism through the banking system, and include registration and user-safety requirements.
Draft rules published
October 2025
The IT Ministry published draft rules for the PROG Act in October 2025, initiating public discussion and feedback ahead of finalisation.
Presidential assent to PROG Act 2025
August 2025
The government’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 received Presidential assent in August 2025, laying the groundwork for the final rules and enforcement framework described in subsequent reporting.
Government revises stance on rules
2025
The government initially held that rules were unnecessary but later reversed that position.