Online Gaming Bill 2025: GamesKraft’s Business Model Faces Imminent Threat

GamesKraft, a major player in the online gaming industry, which hosts real-money games like poker and rummy, faces a potential crisis with the introduction of the Online Gaming Bill 2025. The bill explicitly bans all forms of online gambling and real-money gaming. This comprehensive prohibition directly impacts GamesKraft’s core business activities. Furthermore, payment gateways will be prohibited from processing financial transactions related to real-money gaming, further complicating the company’s operations. To adapt to the changing regulatory environment, GamesKraft might need to shift its focus toward e-sports, explore social gaming models, or adopt ad-free gaming models that rely on subscriptions or one-time payments. The Online Gaming Bill 2025 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 20th, 2025, by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, aiming to promote online social games and esports. The legislation’s key feature is the ban on all online games involving monetary stakes, which includes fantasy sports, card games like poker and rummy, and online lotteries. The bill also includes provisions to restrict advertisements for these games and to prevent financial institutions from facilitating related transactions. Violators of the bill could face imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of up to Rs 1 crore after being passed by both Houses of Parliament.