The Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority published the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority (Real Money Games) Regulations, 2025 in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette on February 12, 2025, under notification number SRO C - 8/20251. The regulations were made 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 state government, and came into force on the date of 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, following the definition in rule 2 of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 20211. Winnings are defined in the regulations as any prize, in cash or kind, distributed or intended to be distributed based on the user's performance and the rules of the game1.
The operative provisions set out in rule 4 are:
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | All minors under 18 prohibited from playing online real money games |
| KYC | Mandatory for account creation; initial login requires Aadhaar authenticated by a second-layer OTP sent to the phone number linked to the Aadhaar number |
| Provider duty | Online game providers must ensure implementation of the KYC process |
| Play-time warnings | Pop-up caution messages after more than one hour of continuous play, repeating every 30 minutes and indicating how long the player has played |
| Spending limits | Providers must offer facilities to fix daily, weekly and monthly monetary limits for each player; a pop-up must show the fixed limit and amount spent so far when money is deposited |
| Login-page warning | Continuous caution messages on the addictive nature of these games, with the wording "ONLINE GAMING IS ADDIGTIVE IN NATURE" |
| Blank hours | No login allowed from 12 midnight to 5 am Indian Standard Time (UTC +05:30) |
The notification is signed by MD. Nasimuddin, Chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority1. The gazette entry appears at page 164 of Part III, Section 2, under ROC No. 133/Admin/NOGA/20241.
What it means for players
For anyone playing real money online games in Tamil Nadu, the regulations change how accounts are opened and when play is possible. Account creation now requires KYC verification, and the first login requires Aadhaar authentication with an OTP sent to the Aadhaar-linked phone number, so players without an Aadhaar-linked mobile number face a practical barrier that the regulations do not address1. Players under 18 are barred outright1.
Play is not possible between 12 midnight and 5 am Indian Standard Time, since no login is allowed in those hours1. Players will see pop-up warnings after an hour of continuous play and every 30 minutes afterwards, and a pop-up showing their fixed monetary limit and amount spent so far whenever they deposit1. Providers must offer daily, weekly and monthly limit-setting tools1. The regulations do not state penalties for providers or players who breach these rules, and no enforcement mechanism or penalty schedule appears in the notification1.
What happens next
The regulations took effect on publication, February 12, 2025, so no further commencement step is required1. The notification does not set out a compliance deadline for online game providers, a transition period for existing accounts, or any penalty provisions; none of these have been reported in the gazette text1.
For background on how Indian states treat real money gaming, see Can I Gamble in India? and Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions. The distinction between games of skill and chance that underpins state-level rules is covered in Games of Skill vs Games of Chance in Asian Gambling Law, and licensing structures in Gambling Regulators and Licenses in Asia: Who Licenses What and How to Check.
Sources1 sources
- ActsRule_ACT100002.pdf, tnonlinegamingauthority.tn.gov.in
