India requires esports games to register with online gaming authority
Online games offered as esports in India must be assessed and registered with the Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI), the central government has clarified.


Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada outlined the requirement in a written response to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha on July 29th, according to Storyboard18.
 
Under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026, a service provider must apply for “determination” when it intends to offer a game as an esport. The process allows OGAI to assess whether the product is an esport, an online social game or a prohibited online money game.
 
Each game offered by each provider requires separate registration. An esport must also be recognized under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025 before OGAI can register it.
 
Non-real-money social games are not automatically required to undergo determination or registration. They may be brought into the process if directed by the authority or included in a category notified by the central government.
 
The 2025 online gaming law received presidential assent in August last year. The accompanying rules were notified in April and took effect on May 1st.
 
Dingnews.com 30/07/2026


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