by As of late August–early September 2025, India has a federal law that bans real-money online games and their advertising, and the Supreme Court has taken over all challenges to it. If you’re building or downloading a cricket bet app here’s the ground truth, the safe alternatives, and the near-term court and policy timelines. Per Reuters and PRS, these dates and scopes are now settled facts.
KEY POINTS
One-line hook: Build the companion, not the bookie.
Parliament passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 on August 20–21, and the President gave assent on August 22. The Act creates a framework for online games and e-sports but draws a bright red line under “online money games” by prohibiting their offering and advertising nationwide. (Per Reuters and the bill text hosted by PRS.)
So where does a “cricket bet app” sit now?
Short answer: outside the law if it takes deposits or pays out cash. A cricket bet app, by definition, lives in the real-money lane the 2025 Act shuts down. The moment the bill cleared Parliament, shutdown plans began; per Reuters, operators signaled wind-downs and legal options while awaiting assent. In September, Games24x7 layoffs underlined the hit to RMG operations.
On September 8, the Supreme Court transferred to itself all petitions challenging the Act from the Delhi, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh High Courts. That consolidation means a single, binding reading of what’s in or out—and it’s the venue that will decide any carve-outs. (Per Economic Times and Deccan Herald.)
The enforcement toolkit regulators are using
Expect site- and app-level blocks under Section 69A of the IT Act, which MeitY already uses at scale against offshore betting portals. MediaNama tracked over 1,500 gambling domains blocked this year; the same mechanism is available for any prohibited “online money game” under the new Act.
Advertising: zero tolerance
Even before the 2025 law, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) repeatedly warned TV, print, OTT, digital platforms, and creators against ads or surrogate promotions for offshore betting. Those advisories—August 25, 2023 and March 21, 2024—remain the North Star for compliance teams. In plain speak: don’t push ’em.
ASCI’s “Online Gaming for Real Money Winnings” code also applies to any legacy or foreign-facing creatives: no minors, visible disclaimers, no “income” promises, and firm placement rules. Keep that playbook handy for audits.
App stores: policy moves vs. the law
Google has proposed opening Play in India to a wider set of RMG titles as part of its CCI remedies, with timelines tied to the regulator’s order. Helpful for distribution in theory—but the Act still makes operating a money-stake game unlawful, regardless of store policy. (Per TechCrunch and Indian Express.)
Tax note (context, not a green light)
Separately, the GST Council approved a 40% rate on online money gaming effective September 22, 2025. Practically, with money gaming banned by the Act, that change matters for historical assessments and for the policy record courts will review—not as a path to resume betting apps. (Per PIB.)
What a compliant cricket app can be in 2025
Plenty of cricket products remain fully legal and useful: live scores, ball-by-ball data, analytics, notifications, second-screen tools, and fan communities. If you’re shipping in India, build for depth and delight without touching deposits, prize pools, or paid outcomes.
Feature ideas (money-free, fan-first)
Match hubs: powerplay/death-over splits, wagon wheels, DLS and win-prob calculators.
• Play-along predictors (no stakes): over/under polls, trivia, and XP/badge ladders that carry no cash value.
• Responsible-play UX by design: reality checks, time caps, parental gates—good hygiene even in free modes.
• Community: lineup-builder debates, moderated chats, clean house rules.
• Integrity signals: bold labels across onboarding and promos: No deposits / No cash prizes / 18+.
If you’re a brand or rights holder
Audiences didn’t vanish; only the money game did. Shift sponsorships toward content (explainers, player-tracking visuals), grassroots cricket, or e-sports formats that avoid cash stakes. For influencer work, keep MIB advisories and ASCI code in the brief—disclosures, no minors, no income claims.
Developer pivot: practical rewiring
Refactor flows tied to wallets, KYC, deposits, and cash-out. Recast loyalty as cosmetic: skins, avatars, leaderboards—not rupees. Align data retention to privacy-first defaults. Build around broadcast calendars (BCCI, ICC) and push granular but respectful alerts. You want sticky DAUs, not a whiff of wagering.
UPI still shines for subscriptions, tips, or premium content outside gaming, but don’t route anything that resembles chance-based rewards or prize distributions. That line ain’t blurry anymore.
Personal note
On a monsoon evening in Navi Mumbai, a retired club scorer told me, “The scoreboard never lies, beta. Money does.” You can feel the rush without a stake. Sometimes that’s the better fandom.
What could change next
Two swing factors remain: Supreme Court timelines and implementing rules under the Act. The top court’s consolidated hearing should settle scope and constitutionality; until then, the operating posture for anything resembling a cricket bet app is simple—don’t.
