The Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority notified the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority (Real Money Games) Regulations, 2025, published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette on February 12, 2025 under notification No. SRO C - 8/20251. The Authority made the regulations under sub-section (1) of section 5 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022 (Tamil Nadu Act 9 of 2023), with the previous approval of the Government1. The regulations took effect on the date of gazette publication1.
The regulations apply to online real money games, defined as an online game where a user makes a deposit in cash or kind with the expectation of earning winnings on that deposit, as set out in the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 20211. The main requirements are:
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Age | Minors under 18 prohibited from playing online real money games1 |
| KYC | Mandatory for account creation; initial login requires Aadhaar authentication with OTP sent to the Aadhaar-linked phone number1 |
| Play-time warnings | Pop-up caution messages after one hour of continuous play, repeating every 30 minutes1 |
| Spending limits | Providers must let each player fix daily, weekly and monthly monetary limits; a pop-up must show the limit and amount spent so far on each deposit1 |
| Addiction warning | "ONLINE GAMING IS ADDIGTIVE IN NATURE" displayed continuously on the login page1 |
| Blank hours | No login allowed from 12 midnight to 5 am Indian Standard Time (UTC +05:30)1 |
The regulations state that online game providers shall ensure implementation of the KYC verification process1. On the nightly restriction, the text reads:
"Blank hours shall be implemented for the real money games from 12 midnight to 5 am (based on Indian Standard Time i.e., UTC +05:30 hrs). No Login of the games shall be allowed during these restricted hours."
The notification is signed by MD. NASIMUDDIN, Chairperson, Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority1.
The regulations were later challenged in the Madras High Court. In a judgment pronounced on June 3, 2025, a Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and K. Rajasekar dismissed a set of writ petitions brought by operators including Play Games 24x7, Head Digital Works, Junglee Games and the Esport Players Welfare Association, which had sought to strike down Regulation 4(iii) on Aadhaar authentication and Regulation (viii) on blank hours2. The court held that the State Government's legislative competence to regulate online games of skill was upheld, and that the petitions were barred by res judicata2. On the Aadhaar requirement, the court found no strong reason to dilute it, describing two-factor authentication as necessary infrastructure to confirm a player's criteria2. The judgment also noted that some online gaming apps and companies, including MPL Rummy, Classic Rummy, Real 11 and Kilaadi Adda Rummy, had complied with the Aadhaar two-factor KYC verification process2. The court recorded that the State has filed a special leave petition before the Supreme Court against a portion of an earlier Division Bench order, and that it is pending2.
What it means for players
For anyone playing real money online games in Tamil Nadu, the regulations set the operating rules for platforms covered by the 2022 Act. Players must be 18 or older, and account creation and first login require Aadhaar-based KYC with OTP verification1. Games cannot be accessed between 12 midnight and 5 am1. Players can set their own daily, weekly and monthly spending limits, and platforms must show those limits and running spend on each deposit1. Continuous play triggers warnings every 30 minutes after the first hour1. The Madras High Court has upheld the Aadhaar and blank-hours provisions against challenge2. Separately, the court noted that the online gaming provisions of the IT Rules, 2021 remain unenforceable as of the judgment date due to a check imposed in Rule 4B2. For the wider legal picture in the country, see Can I Gamble in India? and What India's Online Gaming Ban Means for Players.
What happens next
The State's special leave petition against part of an earlier Division Bench order is pending before the Supreme Court of India2. No further dated steps are set out in the gazette notification or the judgment.
Sources2 sources
- ActsRule_ACT100002.pdf, tnonlinegamingauthority.tn.gov.in
- play-games-24x7-v-state-of-tamil-nadu-602885.pdf, livelaw.in
