Online Gaming Bill 2025: What is the new legislation and how will it affect Indian cricket?

Cricket and online gaming do not go a long way back. But their brief, short-lived tryst was a symbiotic one, bordering on parasitic, until its inevitable crashing point. After years of freehand, which translated into a stranglehold, the Indian government has put its foot down, passing the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, on Thursday, August 21.

The impact that Online Gaming has had on India, from a social and economic perspective, is crystal clear. But its impact extends to the companies themselves as well as Indian cricket in a major way. The manner in which the culture of gambling and addiction ran rampant despite the begrudging warning by the creators, meant that a higher power had to intervene.

Although the bill has been passed, keeping the best interests of the citizens in mind, it also presents itself as an opportunity to sit back and reflect on the toxic relationship between Indian cricket and Online Gaming Companies.

What is the Online Gaming Bill 2025, and why was it enforced?

As per the bill, all gaming firms involving the use of money will be banned. The government has made the decision since the platform had become such a 'serious and social public issue'.

"According to a report by FICCI and EY from March 2025, online gaming companies in India collectively earned a revenue of close to $2.7 billion in 2024. These companies typically make money by taking a cut from a user’s winnings. As per the report, more than 155 million Indians engaged with real money gaming sub-segments such as fantasy sports, rummy, poker and other transaction-based games in 2024, marking a 10 per cent increase over 2023. On an average, around 110 million people played these games daily," a report by the Indian Express read.

"This Bill, passed by both Houses of Parliament, highlights our commitment towards making India a hub for gaming, innovation and creativity. It will encourage e-sports, and online social games. At the same time, it will save our society from the harmful effects of online money games," Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said in a statement (via NDTV).

A deep dive into how Online Gaming is intertwined with Indian cricket, and why its absence will be felt

Indian cricket is not the sole entity that has witnessed an overwhelming influence of such companies seep into its framework. One case includes the English Premier League (EPL), which forced its teams sporting betting websites as principal sponsors to seek alternate avenues.

"Premier League clubs have today collectively agreed to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of clubs’ matchday shirts, becoming the first sports league in the UK to take such a measure voluntarily in order to reduce gambling advertising," an official statement from 2023 read.

The decision was taken after the UK government, much like the Indian government, conducted a review of its gambling legislation.

But in Indian cricket's case, the connection is much more deeply rooted and twisted, far from a straightforward one.

Sponsorship is the biggest link that ties Indian cricket and Online Gaming Companies. In recent years, as many as two major firms have had an iron-clad link with the Indian national cricket team, as 'Official Kit Sponsor', as well as the 'Principal Sponsor'. One of those relationships was still in effect when the bill was announced.

The recent verdict now means that the BCCI are now in a race against time to find a new sponsor to sport on their jerseys ahead of the 2025 Asia Cup. Although there is a long line for a potential successor, the governing body will find it hard to find a new firm that will cough up the same money that the online gaming firms provided with nary a hiccup. Furthermore, things have not turned out well for the recent set of firms that have offered to sponsor the Indian team.

It is hard to fathom that a major entity like the Indian national cricket teams are not the Online Gaming Companies' 'Big Fish'. Their jackpot comes in the form of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Their extent of influence in the league was so vast that they ended up sponsoring the entire league at one stage. At that time, they were disguised as the guardian angel, as the IPL were desperate on the lookout for a short-term sponsor after their previous association was abruptly ended.

That became an entry point for the online gaming firms to assume control over everything they could get their hands on. Soon, they were on nearly all of the jerseys, either at the front, sleeve, or even on the trousers. They were sponsoring awards, their names were all over the venues, until finally they attained the aim of being completely synonymous with the league and Indian cricket in extension.

The link between the two parties is so strong that it goes beyond sponsorships and clothing. Online Gaming had such an influence through advertising that it was able to intertwine itself with Indian cricket like a python does its prey.

Well capable of attracting several, if not all, major stars, the online gaming companies established a vast network built on a firm foundation. With leading figures in the Indian sporting world openly endorsing their platform, it was hard for them to go wrong.

Given how easily today's generation can be influenced, the barest of nudges, especially by their idols, can lead them to download and develop their gambling journey. Ideally, the voice of reason should come to the aid, but it does not work that way.

With entry fees in Online Gaming Sites often being meagre, coupled with the fact that there are often 'Free Bonuses', it is not too difficult for almost anyone, including the youth, to be enticed by the 'Mega Prizes' on offer.

Again, preferably, it would be optimal if the younger generation are attracted towards cricket organically rather than the principal reason being gambling gains. If that supersedes pure passion at any point, the game stagnates instead of growing. Although this is not a significant aspect compared to the big picture, all of these little things do make dents in Indian cricket.

India has the rare gift of an actual ardent fan base in the modern era, something the majority are heavily struggling with. It is up to the stakeholders to ensure that they are not taken for granted, and they remain uncorrupted and unbiased, and that is best achieved with online gaming out of the equation.

Online gaming sites, which wished to advertise themselves during the prime slots, were arguably one of the major benefactors to the broadcasters, who in turn pay BCCI for digital and television rights. So in a way, BCCI's link with the Online Gaming Firms comprises two prongs. Firstly, as direct sponsors, and secondly, through a portion of the broadcasters' media rights.

It's a twisted labyrinth of sorts, with money at the centre. With that being said, and considering what is at stake, it is unlikely that Online Gaming Firms will back down without a fight. Their absence does not affect Indian cricket in a noteworthy way, from a functioning point of view. The sport was well intact before the influence of online gaming, and that will continue to be the case.

As far as the cash flow is concerned, that is hardly expected to take a hit since there will always be interest when it comes to the Indian cricket team.

But it won't be a surprise if there isn't a second wave, purely based on how deeply-rooted their impact has been in such a short span. A return is only as far away as a drawn-out legal battle, a change in 'business model', or a potential loophole.