New Delhi: Delhi high court Tuesday asked the Centre to constitute a regulatory authority and promulgate the rules for the newly enacted Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025. A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela was hearing a petition challenging the validity of the Act passed by Parliament on Aug 21, which bars all forms of online money games and promotes e-sports, besides “safe online social and educational games”.

The plea, filed by a private online carrom game platform, claimed the new law was introduced with undue haste and without due stakeholder consultation, leading to a violation of fundamental rights. It further submitted that the Act indiscriminately bans all forms of online real money games, regardless of whether they are based on skill or luck.

During a brief hearing, solicitor general Tushar Mehta said govt was in the process of framing the rules and constituting the authority under the Act. “Govt is promoting online gaming, we are not against it. But online money games result in addiction for children, suicide etc,” the Centre’s law officer said, defending the decision to ban money-related online gaming.

The HC said unless the rules are promulgated and the authority is constituted to oversee its implementation, the Act can’t be enforced. While directing the govt to notify the Act, the bench told the petitioner that their apprehension of being prosecuted under the law “is not live as of today”.