The Supreme Court of India on 19 December 2025 issued notice in a writ petition challenging the Promotion and Regulation of the Online Gaming Act, 2025, a parliamentary enactment. The petition, Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1239/2025, was filed by Vaibhav Arora against the Union of India1.
A bench of the Chief Justice, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi heard senior counsel for the petitioner and ordered that notice be issued, with a counter affidavit to be filed within four weeks and any rejoinder within two weeks after that1.
"Issue notice, returnable on 21.01.2026."
The order records that the provisions of the Act have been challenged in the petition and that these matters have already been ordered to be listed before a three-judge bench. Transfer Case (Civil) No. 133/2025 and other connected matters are to be tagged with this petition1.
The court set out the following steps:
| Step | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Notice returnable | 21.01.2026 |
| Counter affidavit | Within four weeks |
| Rejoinder | Within two weeks thereafter |
The order does not set out the specific grounds of the challenge, and no further detail on the petitioner's arguments has been reported1.
What it means for players
The Online Gaming Act 2025 remains in force while the challenge proceeds. The court has not stayed the Act, and the order does not record any interim relief. For players in India, including locals, expats and visitors, the legal position on real-money online gaming is unchanged for now.
Because the matter is listed before a three-judge bench and connected cases have been tagged, the litigation may take time to resolve. The court's next listed date is 21.01.2026, and the pleadings schedule runs beyond it.
The wider picture of how India's rules compare with other markets is set out in Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions and in Recent and Pending Gambling Law Changes in Asia. A general overview for the country is in Can I Gamble in India?.
What happens next
The petition is returnable on 21.01.2026. The Union of India has four weeks to file a counter affidavit, after which the petitioner may file a rejoinder within two weeks. The court has directed that the matter be listed before a three-judge bench, together with T.C.(C) No. 133/2025 and other connected matters1.
Sources1 sources
- 71021_2025_1_17_67131_Order_19-Dec-2025.pdf, api.sci.gov.in
