The All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), the E-Gaming Federation (EGF) and the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) announced on March 10 that they have jointly signed a Code of Ethics for real-money gaming operators in India1. The framework applies to all skill-based gaming operators that are members of the three federations, which together represent close to 200 companies offering real-money gaming services in India1.
The code requires companies to apply age-gating, know-your-customer verification, safeguards for player data, standards for managing player funds, clear information for players, tools to identify and assist at-risk players, and ethical advertising and promotions2. It also mandates annual third-party audits and reporting mechanisms2. Operators must ensure they do not operate in restricted states where real-money games are not permitted, and must offer self-exclusion and spending limits1.
"The CoE is aimed at enforcing consistent standards of user safety across the industry through the implementation of responsible gaming and advertising policies and mandates annual third-party audits and comprehensive reporting mechanisms to ensure accountability and transparency"
Compliance deadlines depend on revenue:
| Annual revenue | Deadline to implement |
|---|---|
| More than ₹100 crore | Six months |
| Less than ₹100 crore | Nine months |
Sources: Business Standard2, Moneycontrol1
After adoption, the federations will issue a certification valid for one year, renewable annually after a third-party independent audit2. The code will be reviewed annually2. Members who do not comply may face actions ranging from formal warnings to expulsion in extreme cases1.
This is the second such exercise by the federations. In December 2023, AIGF, EGF and FIFS, along with the Internet and Mobile Association of India, adopted a voluntary code of ethics that was not made mandatory for skill-gaming members2. The new framework is a separate initiative formulated by the three bodies1. It follows a Memorandum of Understanding the federations signed with the Advertising Standards Council of India a month earlier to address illegal betting and gambling advertisements by offshore entities1.
The announcement comes as India still lacks a central regulatory framework for real-money gaming1. In April 2023, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology notified gaming-related amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, allowing multiple self-regulatory organizations to decide whether a real-money game could be permitted; the ministry is said to have later dropped that plan1. The Indian gaming industry reported revenues of $3.8 billion for the financial year 2024, up 22.6 percent from $3.1 billion in FY23, with about $2.4 billion from real-money gaming, according to a Lumikai report cited by Moneycontrol1.
What it means for players
The code covers member platforms of the three federations, not the whole market, and it is an industry framework rather than a law. For players on those platforms, the practical changes are identity checks at registration, age limits, self-exclusion tools, spending limits and pop-up style safeguards for at-risk play, plus annual audits behind a one-year certification2. Players on platforms outside the three federations are not covered by the framework as described. Separately, the Tamil Nadu online gaming authority has barred under-18s from online real-money games, made KYC mandatory at registration, and required pop-up caution messages after an hour of play and every 30 minutes thereafter2. India's central rules for real-money gaming remain unsettled1. For general help with limits and self-exclusion, see Safer Gambling in Asia; for the market context, see Can I Gamble in India? and Fantasy Sports in India After the Ban.
What happens next
Higher-revenue members have six months to implement the practices, and smaller members nine months2. Certification follows successful adoption and runs for one year, renewable after an independent audit2. The code is to be reviewed annually2. No further dates have been reported.
