The game is changing - literally! The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has unveiled the draft rules under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, on October 2, 2025, inviting public feedback before they become law.
The Act completely prohibits the offering, advertising, or facilitating of real-money online games, even those considered skill-based. Apart from this, a dedicated national authority will be established to regulate the online gaming sector, including e-sports and social games. Even banks and other financial institutions are forbidden from processing payments for online money gaming services.
The draft rules place a sharper lens on how games are promoted, mandating clearer disclaimers, stricter ad controls, and a renewed push for responsible gaming. What once was a free-flowing world of celebrity shoutouts and influencer streams may now face tighter boundaries and higher accountability.
For brands, it’s not just about compliance, it’s about creativity within constraint. As the industry recalibrates, the real question is: how will marketers play the new game without losing the thrill of the chase?
Biswamitra Ray, Senior Vice President - Branded Content and Creator Strategy, Animeta, shares that when a brand or category is trying to regain credibility or seek re-acceptance, overall marketing efforts tend to increase and within that, influencers will continue to be a strong bet for brands.
He also says that maybe the type of influencers would change for instance, one might probably see a shift from glamour led influencers, to those who can build credibility, with responsible narratives around the skill, strategy, and safety aspects more. “For brands, this means more structured content planning, and for creators, it’s an opportunity to evolve beyond the flashy CTA and show thought leadership within a compliant framework,” he adds.
Talking about key implications of the Online Gaming Act 2025 for advertisers and marketers, Aahna Mehrotra, Founder, AM Sports Law & Management Co., says that no one can advertise or endorse prohibited activities, so advertising of any form of an online money game (that involving stakes or wager with a winning in the form of money or even a coupon convertible to money) is not permitted.
“Anything outside of that, as far as games are concerned, the advertisers and marketers can continue to market. Section 6 of the PROG Act is abundantly clear in this regard. The rules, which have been circulated for public consultation on 2nd October, add some amount of further clarity through rule 16 sub-section 3 that a game should not be advertised as registered unless a certification has been given for the same by the Authority,” she explains.
While the rules aim to bring structure, transparency, and responsible practices to a booming sector, they could also add fresh layers of compliance for developers and investors. While some view the framework as a challenge, others see it as a defining opportunity to bring structure and credibility to a fast-evolving industry.
Rohit N Jagasia, Founder, Revenant Esports, says the sector is currently “going through a short-term period of recalibration” as it aligns with the new regulatory guidelines. He adds, “For the esports sector, this is an opportunity. We are trying to align to the new regulatory guidelines. For us, this is an opportunity to build trust and ensure that we sustain long-term growth.”
He further states that once the regulatory landscape stabilises, industry players will be able to plan with greater clarity and confidence to collaborate with publishers and partners on tournaments and IP-led initiatives. “This framework will ensure and strengthen the credibility of the entire esports ecosystem and encourage more institutional participation in Indian esports.”
When rules tighten, creativity often finds new wings. As India’s online gaming industry braces for stricter advertising regulations, the question isn’t just about compliance but about reinvention. Will the crackdown on flashy claims and influencer-led promotions slow the industry’s meteoric rise, or will it carve out a cleaner, more credible playing field where trust becomes the ultimate currency?
Rohit Agarwal, Founder and Director, AlphaZegus, asserts that the upcoming regulations will refine the market rather than restrict it. “It’ll filter out noise, not growth,” he says. He explains that between 2022 and 2023, gaming advertisements “flooded digital platforms and blurred the line between skill and chance.”
He also adds that the new rules compel brands to “invest in trusted, transparent storytelling—through long-form content, esports sponsorships, and licensed influencer programs instead of one-off hype.” According to him, the future will bring “fewer but higher-quality collaborations,” positioning stricter compliance as “an upgrade, not a limitation.”
Mehrotra takes a more cautious view. She states that while certain aspects of the framework “will definitely create new avenues,” the existing grey areas “will impact growth - stalling the same in certain cases.”
Mehrotra also points to the Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisement and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, noting their overlap with surrogate advertising restrictions. “The convolution in the guidelines with regard to surrogate advertising does not help either,” she explains, highlighting that surrogate advertisements could be deemed as indirectly advertising a prohibited product if they “suggest or indicate” the prohibited service or goods, or use associated branding elements.
She adds that although the proviso to the same allows that mere usage of branding elements will not find you in contravention of the guidelines, the lack of clarity around what constitutes “mere use” has led to several entities receiving notices. “While an ITC, which owns hotels and FMCG products but is also a tobacco giant, may be in the clear as far as advertising the former products categories are concerned, an alcohol brand advertising CDs may not be,” Mehrotra elaborates.
She cautions that until the ambiguities within both the misleading advertisement guidelines and the PROG Rules are resolved, advertisers in the gaming industry “may also run into several such challenges.”
As the industry awaits further clarification, one thing remains evident: the new framework is set to redefine the contours of gaming advertising, demanding a balance between compliance, creativity, and credibility.
