Esports game providers in India must register each title with the Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI). Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada set out the requirement in a written reply to the lower house of parliament on 29 July.
Under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026, a provider must apply for a determination if it intends to offer a game as esports. OGAI assesses whether the product qualifies as esports, social online gaming, or prohibited real-money gambling. Each game from each provider requires separate registration.
An esports game must be recognised under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, before OGAI can register it. Social games without real-money stakes are not required to seek determination automatically — only at the regulator's request or if they fall into a category set by the central government.
The Online Gaming Act, 2025, received presidential assent last August. Implementing rules were published in April and took effect on 1 May.
