Tamil Nadu published an amendment to the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority and Regulation of Online Games Rules, 2023 in Government Gazette No. 27, dated Wednesday, July 8, 20261. The notification, numbered SRO A-13/2026, substitutes a new FORM-I, the application for a certificate of registration to provide online gaming services in the state1.
The amendment was issued under section 24(1) of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022 (Tamil Nadu Act 9 of 2023), and carries government order G.O. Ms. No. 201, Home (Police-VII), 18th June 20261. The new form is filed with the Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority1.
"In the said Rules, in the ANNEXURE, for FORM-I, the following FORM shall be substituted namely"
The revised form expands what an applicant must disclose. It asks for the applicant's name, father's name, Aadhaar number, residential address, email and mobile number, and whether a registration certificate has been obtained in other states1. For companies it requires the name and address, nature of the company (public limited, private limited, partnership or LLP), whether the firm is ISO 27001:2013 certified, and the names and addresses of proprietors, directors or partners1.
On hosting, the form asks for the name and location of the gaming server, gaming website and app development details, DNS and URL details, and app store account details1. It also asks about embedded technologies, including artificial intelligence in gaming, BOTs, and whether the random number generator is TRNG or PRNG, with a testing agency certificate if there is no BOT or RNG1.
A game particulars table requires the game name, age restriction (above 18 or minors), game category, hosting platform, subscription type (paid or free) and payment mode (banking or crypto)1. Player protection questions cover authentication by email or mobile with OTP or password, single or two factor authentication, whether monetary limits are fixed daily, weekly or monthly, player health control alerts, playing hour limits for adults and children, and self-exclusion facilities1. The form asks directly whether gambling, betting or wagering is involved in any form, with a Yes/No answer1. Enclosures listed are address proof, Aadhaar proof and company or firm details1.
What it means for players
The change is administrative: it alters the paperwork an operator submits, not the underlying prohibition on online gambling in Tamil Nadu. Players in the state see no new permissions or bans from this amendment alone. The questions the form now asks, on age limits, spending limits, playing hour limits, self-exclusion and whether betting or wagering is involved, indicate the information the authority collects when deciding whether to register an operator. For background on the state and national rules, see Can I Gamble in India? and What India's Online Gaming Ban Means for Players. The wider regional picture is covered in Online Gambling in Asia: The Law for Players in 12 Jurisdictions and Gambling Laws in Asia: What Is Legal in 12 Jurisdictions.
What happens next
The amendment takes effect with its gazette publication on July 8, 20261. No further steps, deadlines or commencement dates are set out in the notification, and no transition period for existing applicants has been reported.
Sources1 sources
- Activities_ACTI100056.pdf, tnonlinegamingauthority.tn.gov.in
