Four days after India banned real-money games, Rahul (name changed), a 26-year-old network engineer from Andhra Pradesh, was back in action on a humid evening. Shifting between Telegram and WhatsApp, he rallied players for an “exclusive” rummy cash game. With platforms like RummyCircle and Adda52Rummy blocked, he turned to private chat groups, using practice apps for play while settling all money matters offline.
Last month, India brought the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming law, 2025, which ushered in a sweeping ban on all forms of RMGs — money-based rummy, poker, fantasy sports and betting alike — whether a game of skill or chance. Offenders could face jail terms of up to three years and heavy fines of up to a crore once enacted. The govt cited its addictive nature, rising debts, family tragedies and links to financial crimes. Govt sources say that around 45 crore people lose close to Rs 20,000 crore every year playing RMG. The fallout was immediate: companies folded and an industry collapsed. Even as an RMG company challenged the order in the Karnataka high court, few believe gambling has disappeared.
Lawyer and gaming law expert Gaurav Bhalla argues that the ban will simply push players into murkier corners of the internet. “People want to play. They will invest even Rs 50 just for entertainment purposes to try their luck. Those addicted will shift to platforms that operate from offshore servers and other countries,” he says. Offshore operators, Bhalla warns, often find ways to tap into local systems. “There are illicit payment partners which allow payments through UPI, credit cards. It’s very hard to police them.” The demand, irrespective of legality, is what inspired Neet. “The usual apps are banned, and regular players must be looking to play,” he says. He relishes being the ‘organiser’ of these clandestine money games, finding excitement in it.
By early September, a Telegram group with over four lakh members was actively promoting Lucky Jet, a high-speed ‘crash game’ where players wager on a multiplier that can collapse to zero anytime, forcing them to decide when to cash out. Despite being banned, such games thrive on offshore platforms and social media promotions. Messages like “deposit krke ready rho. Jackpot krenge” entice players with flashy claims of big wins. Recently, the Enforcement Directorate froze ₹110 crore tied to Parimatch’s illegal betting network, which funneled money through fake accounts and ‘mule’ credit cards.
Some expect a silver lining for video gaming and esports, but esports company Nodwin Gaming co-founder Akshat Rathee says, “If baseball gets banned, does everyone start playing basketball? The motivations behind playing RMG versus esports are very different.” Rathee believes wealthier RMG users will continue playing through offshore platforms. “This could include flying to gambling destinations like Colombo, Singapore, Europe or transferring money abroad using LRS (Liberalised Remittance Scheme), which permits $250,000 per year.” For those without the means, he expects more‘parking lot RMG’ set-ups. “Expect WhatsApp/ Telegram groups run by ‘settlers’ (admins) who pool money among friends, play social casino games (which are legal), and settle winnings offline,” he adds.
Fantasy sports — where players create virtual teams based on real-life athletes — were also swept up in the RMG ban. India reportedly had the world’s largest active fantasy sports user base, with platforms like Dream11, Halaplay and My11Circle dominating the market. But concerns about financial risks, addiction and fraud sent the industry to the firing squad. A reflection of that can be seen in Bihar’s Sivan, where a 20-year-old college student Badal Bihari (his Insta moniker) found unexpected fame during the IPL when his pick for a ‘dream team’ went viral. He says, “I would make fantasy teams and take commission. My viewers sometimes won as much as Rs 5 lakh. Obviously, people would also abuse me if the teams failed.” But with his newfound earnings came changes at home. “My brother used to play rummy and poker day and night. Sometimes he won but other times he’d lose and take loans from me to keep playing.” For Badal, who often found himself refusing money, the crackdown means less pressure to deliver winning teams and more study time for his brothers. “But the itch is still there.”
States like Telangana had already outlawed RMG in 2017, but the national ban consolidates enforcement, says Shikha Goel, Telangana cyber security bureau DGP. Goel has overseen investigations into illegal online gaming operations. “We’ve even had a couple of police officers lose their lives because of the debt they got into playing these games. College students and unemployed people have died by suicide over betting. The social and human cost cannot be overlooked.”
(With inputs from TOI's Sneha Bhura)
Last month, India brought the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming law, 2025, which ushered in a sweeping ban on all forms of RMGs — money-based rummy, poker, fantasy sports and betting alike — whether a game of skill or chance. Offenders could face jail terms of up to three years and heavy fines of up to a crore once enacted. The govt cited its addictive nature, rising debts, family tragedies and links to financial crimes. Govt sources say that around 45 crore people lose close to Rs 20,000 crore every year playing RMG. The fallout was immediate: companies folded and an industry collapsed. Even as an RMG company challenged the order in the Karnataka high court, few believe gambling has disappeared.
Lawyer and gaming law expert Gaurav Bhalla argues that the ban will simply push players into murkier corners of the internet. “People want to play. They will invest even Rs 50 just for entertainment purposes to try their luck. Those addicted will shift to platforms that operate from offshore servers and other countries,” he says. Offshore operators, Bhalla warns, often find ways to tap into local systems. “There are illicit payment partners which allow payments through UPI, credit cards. It’s very hard to police them.” The demand, irrespective of legality, is what inspired Neet. “The usual apps are banned, and regular players must be looking to play,” he says. He relishes being the ‘organiser’ of these clandestine money games, finding excitement in it.
By early September, a Telegram group with over four lakh members was actively promoting Lucky Jet, a high-speed ‘crash game’ where players wager on a multiplier that can collapse to zero anytime, forcing them to decide when to cash out. Despite being banned, such games thrive on offshore platforms and social media promotions. Messages like “deposit krke ready rho. Jackpot krenge” entice players with flashy claims of big wins. Recently, the Enforcement Directorate froze ₹110 crore tied to Parimatch’s illegal betting network, which funneled money through fake accounts and ‘mule’ credit cards.
Some expect a silver lining for video gaming and esports, but esports company Nodwin Gaming co-founder Akshat Rathee says, “If baseball gets banned, does everyone start playing basketball? The motivations behind playing RMG versus esports are very different.” Rathee believes wealthier RMG users will continue playing through offshore platforms. “This could include flying to gambling destinations like Colombo, Singapore, Europe or transferring money abroad using LRS (Liberalised Remittance Scheme), which permits $250,000 per year.” For those without the means, he expects more‘parking lot RMG’ set-ups. “Expect WhatsApp/ Telegram groups run by ‘settlers’ (admins) who pool money among friends, play social casino games (which are legal), and settle winnings offline,” he adds.
Fantasy sports — where players create virtual teams based on real-life athletes — were also swept up in the RMG ban. India reportedly had the world’s largest active fantasy sports user base, with platforms like Dream11, Halaplay and My11Circle dominating the market. But concerns about financial risks, addiction and fraud sent the industry to the firing squad. A reflection of that can be seen in Bihar’s Sivan, where a 20-year-old college student Badal Bihari (his Insta moniker) found unexpected fame during the IPL when his pick for a ‘dream team’ went viral. He says, “I would make fantasy teams and take commission. My viewers sometimes won as much as Rs 5 lakh. Obviously, people would also abuse me if the teams failed.” But with his newfound earnings came changes at home. “My brother used to play rummy and poker day and night. Sometimes he won but other times he’d lose and take loans from me to keep playing.” For Badal, who often found himself refusing money, the crackdown means less pressure to deliver winning teams and more study time for his brothers. “But the itch is still there.”
States like Telangana had already outlawed RMG in 2017, but the national ban consolidates enforcement, says Shikha Goel, Telangana cyber security bureau DGP. Goel has overseen investigations into illegal online gaming operations. “We’ve even had a couple of police officers lose their lives because of the debt they got into playing these games. College students and unemployed people have died by suicide over betting. The social and human cost cannot be overlooked.”
(With inputs from TOI's Sneha Bhura)
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