India's Online Poker Sites Shut Down Amid Nationwide iGaming Ban

Nearly all of India’s online poker rooms have gone dark overnight, shutting down their services in response to the government’s sweeping ban on real-money gaming. The Indian Parliament introduced the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which bans real-money gaming across online poker, rummy, fantasy sports, and other skill-based games.

PokerBaazi, PokerStars India, Junglee Poker, Adda52, Natural8, Spartan Poker, and MPL Poker have all shut down real-money games. The fallout could end access to real-money games, destabilize an ecosystem that had attracted billions in foreign investment, and generated tens of thousands of jobs. The government itself stands to lose close to ₹20,000 crore in annual tax revenue.

The speed and manner of the bill’s passing raised eyebrows, with little to no debate, voice votes, and back-to-back approval in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The new law is very likely to be challenged in courts, with several Indian gaming groups holding discussions with lawyers about approaching the Supreme Court. Technology and gaming lawyer Jay Sayta described the bill as “extremely problematic, prima facie unconstitutional and not sustainable in law.”