Every gamer knows the thrill of New Game+: the moment you restart with better gear, sharper skills, more experience and a clearer map. That is precisely where India’s online gaming industry finds itself today. With 8.45 billion mobile game installs in FY 2024-25 and a gamer base of more than 488 million, India is already the world’s largest mobile games market by far. Yet, a fragmented and uncertain policy environment left the industry navigating a regulatory grey zone. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025 (“PROGA”) and the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules 2026 (“Rules”), both effective 1 May 2026, change that decisively. 

What has changed for online gaming in India since August?