The Centre has told Parliament that online games offered as esports are required to be determined and registered with the Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI) under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 and the rules notified under it. The clarification came on July 29, 2026, in response to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha, answered by Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada.
What the Centre Told Parliament
Minister of State Jitin Prasada informed the Lok Sabha that the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 received Presidential assent on August 22, 2025. The accompanying Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026 were notified on April 22, 2026. Both the Act and the Rules came into force on May 1, 2026.
The minister confirmed that the Central Government has constituted the Online Gaming Authority of India to implement the framework under the legislation.
When Determination Is Required
According to the government’s response, an online game offered by an Online Game Service Provider (OGSP) must undergo “determination” by the Authority in 3 specific situations:
- If the Authority directs the provider to seek determination on its own initiative
- If the game is proposed to be offered as an esport
- If the Central Government notifies specific categories of online social games for determination
When Registration Is Required
The government also clarified that an online game must be registered with the Authority in 2 situations:
- If the Central Government notifies the game or category of games for mandatory registration
- If the game is to be offered as an esport
Both the determination and registration requirements apply only in the circumstances specified under the Act and the Rules. The government’s reply indicates that games not falling into these categories, including most non-real-money social games, do not automatically require determination or registration.
What Prompted the Question
The clarification came in response to questions on whether the government had made registration mandatory for esports games and gaming firms, whether rules had been framed for the purpose, whether OGAI had been established, and whether games that do not involve real-money play would generally be exempt from mandatory determination or registration.
The government did not explicitly state that non-real-money games are exempt. Its reply indicates that determination and registration requirements apply only in the circumstances specified under the Act and the Rules, including when a game is offered as an esport or where the Central Government notifies a particular category.
Context: What PROGA and OGAI Mean for Esports
PROGA draws a clear line between 3 categories of online games: online money games (banned), online social games (generally permitted without mandatory registration), and esports (permitted and subject to mandatory determination and registration).
The Online Gaming Authority of India was established under MeitY as a digital-first regulatory body. It is responsible for classifying games, maintaining the list of prohibited online money games, overseeing registration of permissible esports titles, and addressing user grievances.
As TalkEsport reported when the rules came into force, India’s Online Gaming Rules 2026 formally recognised esports as competitive digital sport while placing it under a mandatory registration pathway separate from casual or social gaming.
The July 29 Lok Sabha clarification reinforces that position. Esports operators cannot self-classify or operate without going through the OGAI determination and registration process. Non-esport titles that do not involve real-money play sit outside that obligation unless the Central Government specifically notifies them.
For the broader context on how India’s gaming sector has been reshaped by PROGA, including the Supreme Court upholding retrospective GST on real-money gaming and the resulting appeals by gaming founders, see TalkEsport’s report on gaming founders appealing to the GST Council for personal liability relief.
FAQs
What did the Centre clarify in Lok Sabha on July 29, 2026? The Centre confirmed that online games offered as esports must be determined and registered with the Online Gaming Authority of India under PROGA 2025 and the Online Gaming Rules 2026.
Who answered the question in Lok Sabha? Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada answered the unstarred question on July 29, 2026.
When did PROGA and the Online Gaming Rules 2026 come into force? Both came into force on May 1, 2026. The Act received Presidential assent on August 22, 2025. The Rules were notified on April 22, 2026.
Does every online game need to register with OGAI? No. Registration is mandatory only when a game is offered as an esport or when the Central Government specifically notifies a game or category for mandatory registration.
Are non-real-money games exempt from OGAI registration? The government did not explicitly state they are exempt. Its reply indicates that determination and registration apply only in the situations specified under the Act, meaning most non-real-money social games that are not offered as esports are not automatically required to register.
What is the Online Gaming Authority of India? OGAI is the central gaming regulator established under MeitY to implement the PROGA framework. It classifies games, maintains the prohibited games list, oversees esports registration, and handles user grievances.
