The Central Government on Tuesday informed the Delhi High Court that it will soon set up a regulatory authority and frame rules under the new Promotion & Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told a bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela that although the law has received presidential assent, it has not yet come into force. Once the government issues a notification, steps will be taken to constitute the authority and draft rules.
The bench noted that since the Act has not been operationalised, the apprehensions of the petitioners are premature. The judges observed that implementation of the law will begin only after the authority is established and the rules are framed.
Mehta further assured the court that the government was not against online gaming. However, he stressed that regulation was necessary for money-based games because of concerns related to addiction and mental health.
The court adjourned the matter for 8 weeks without issuing notice.
Petition By Online Carrom Platform
The case stems from a petition filed by Bagheera Carrom (OPC) Pvt. Ltd., an online carrom e-sports company, which has challenged the constitutional validity of the Act. The firm, represented by advocates Harsh Jaiswal and Aadya Mishra, argued that the legislation was enacted “in undue haste, without stakeholder consultation, and in violation of fundamental rights, federal principles, and the doctrine of separation of powers.”
According to the petition, the Act imposes a sweeping ban on all money-based online games, without differentiating between games of skill and games of chance. The company pointed out that carrom has already been recognised by Indian courts as a skill-based game and is regulated offline by the All India Carrom Federation and the International Carrom Federation.
Business At Risk
Bagheera Carrom claimed that despite investing significantly in compliance, safeguards, and certifications—including validation from the E-Gaming Federation to ensure its platform remained skill-based and free of betting—the new law places its business in jeopardy.
The petition described the provisions of the Act as “vague and overbroad,” warning that they threaten innovation and growth in India’s online gaming sector.
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