Supreme Court takes over challenges to India’s new online gaming law
All petitions from high courts transferred as top court prepares to rule on constitutional validity.
Key points:
– Supreme Court transfers all petitions on online money gaming law from high courts to itself
– Cases challenging the Act were previously filed in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Delhi
– Court to decide on constitutional validity following earlier GST hearings on gaming
The Supreme Court of India has consolidated all pending petitions challenging the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, bringing them under its direct jurisdiction.
A bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan allowed the Centre’s request to transfer the cases, which had been filed before the high courts of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Delhi.
The move means no further petitions on the matter will be entertained by those courts, with the apex court now tasked with determining the Act’s constitutional validity.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that similar legal arguments had already been presented in the matter of the 28% GST levy on online gaming, a case in which the bench has reserved its order.
He added that consolidating the petitions would “save time”, given the overlap of issues raised.
The legislation, which came into effect in August, prohibits all online games involving monetary transactions. Petitions had been filed by operators, including Clubboom11 Sports & Entertainment in Madhya Pradesh and Bagheera Carrom OPC in Delhi, though neither court granted interim relief.
Good to know: Last week, the Madhya Pradesh high court dismissed an appeal for a stay on the government’s notification of the Act
The Union Cabinet cleared and passed the legislation within five days in August 2025, marking the first national law targeting real-money online gaming. It introduces criminal penalties for operators, advertisers and financial facilitators, while excluding eSports and casual games from its scope.
The Centre has stood firm in defence of the ban. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw previously cited years of research linking platforms such as Dream11, RummyCulture, My11Circle and MPL to gambling and money laundering.
MeitY has confirmed that an authority will be created to promote eSports and casual games without monetary stakes.
The new law has already prompted layoffs at major gaming firms, with Games24x7, MPL and Baazi Games among those reducing staff. Industry groups have warned that over 200,000 jobs across more than 400 companies could be at risk if the prohibition remains in force.
This is not the first time the Supreme Court has assumed oversight of disputes within the gaming sector. In 2024, the Court transferred 27 writ petitions from nine high courts concerning the 28% GST on online real-money gaming to itself.
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