What Games Are Disappearing from India’s Screens—and Why?
- Jeetendra khatri
- Aug 21
- 3 min read
Have your favorite titles suddenly vanished from your smartphone? Here’s the unfiltered story of the games India has banned, what prompted each move, and what lies ahead.
1. Money-Based Games—Skill or Luck, None Escape the Ban
What happened? In August 2025, India's Parliament passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which completely bans all online games involving real-money play—whether they rely on skill or chance. This includes fantasy sports, rummy, poker, and more.
Why the drastic move? Government sources report that nearly 45 crore Indians collectively lose around ₹20,000 crore annually through real-money gaming platforms—a massive financial drain.
Consequences? Violators—including platforms, advertisers, or payment intermediaries—face steep penalties: up to 3 years in jail and fines that could soar to ₹1 crore.
Industry reaction: The ban has shaken the gaming world. Shares of gaming giant Nazara Technologies plummeted over 15%—a clear sign of investor alarm.
Economic ripple effects: Experts warn this could wipe out billions in foreign investments and cripple the burgeoning fantasy gaming industry—valued at $3.6 billion by 2029
2. Chinese-Origin Games Banned Over Security, Privacy & Sovereignty
Even before the 2025 crackdown, India had already blocked several popular games, mostly linked to Chinese developers, citing national security and data privacy risks:
PUBG Mobile: Banned in September 2020 under the IT Act’s Section 69A. The government flagged the app for questionable data transmission practices.
It returned in a localized avatar—Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI)—in 2021. But this too was banned in July 2022 due to continued privacy concerns, though the ban was lifted in May 2023.
Other Chinese titles banned in 2020 include:
Free Fire by Garena
Mafia City
Clash of Kings
Cyber Hunter by NetEase
Rise of Kingdoms, Conquer Online (I & II), Astracraft, EVE Echoes, among others—many flagged for violating India’s sovereignty, security, and public order.
Why such aggressive measures? The 2020 bans came amid heightened geopolitical tensions with China, with the government citing the unauthorized transmission of user data to servers outside India
3. Local-Level, Short-Lived Restrictions
In 2019, Gujarat temporarily banned PUBG Mobile, calling it "too addictive" and disruptive especially during exam season. The ban was later relaxed
Summary: What’s Out—and Why games
Category | Examples | Reason for Ban |
Real‑money games (skill or chance) | Dream11, MPL, rummy, poker, fantasy sports apps | Financial harm, addiction, psychological damage |
Chinese-origin games | PUBG Mobile/BGMI, Free Fire, Mafia City, Clash of Kings, Cyber Hunter, etc. | Security, data privacy, national sovereignty concerns |
Local exam-season bans | PUBG Mobile (in Gujarat, 2019) | Addiction, social disruption |
4. How This Ban Could Actually Benefit Youth and Children
While the ban has hit the gaming industry hard, for many parents and educators, it feels like a sigh of relief. Here’s why:
Reduced Addiction: Many children and teenagers were spending hours glued to their screens, risking both academic focus and mental health. With money-based games out of reach, there’s a chance for reduced obsession and healthier habits.
Financial Awareness: Young players often didn’t realize the money they were losing in fantasy sports or card-based apps. The ban highlights the dangers of easy digital spending, making children and even college youth more cautious with online transactions.
Better Academic & Social Balance: Without the constant lure of quick-cash gaming, students may redirect time toward studies, sports, or creative hobbies, improving both academic performance and real-life social interaction.
Mental Health Protection: Money-based losses caused stress, anxiety, and sometimes even depression among youth. Removing these high-stakes games could protect them from unnecessary psychological pressure at an early age.
Promoting Healthy Play: The focus may now shift toward e-sports without money stakes, coding games, educational platforms, or skill-based creative apps—encouraging talent, teamwork, and learning instead of gambling-like behavior.
Why it Matters
India’s new gaming law signals a sharp turn—from tech enthusiasm to hard-line regulation. The logic? Protect citizens from financial harm, prevent addiction, and guard digital sovereignty. But the fallout is real: industry upheaval, investor panic, and a splash of political controversy, with critics questioning the haste of the ban
Comments