Latest Gambling News: India Bill Banning Real-Money Online Gaming Passes Lower House, and more

Catch up on some of the stories our gambling compliance analysts have covered lately, and stay up-to-date on the latest news.

India Bill Banning Real-Money Online Gaming Passes Lower House

A bill banning online real-money gaming has passed India’s lower house within hours of its introduction and with no debate, signalling a central government ambush on an industry now staring at oblivion.

The government on Wednesday (August 21) introduced the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025 in the Lok Sabha, later ramming the bill through on a voice vote amid opposition protests and confusion over unrelated bills.

The bill now goes to the Rajya Sabha, or upper house, and appears likely to pass on government numbers, though it was not immediately clear if the ban on all online games with stakes, whether skill- or chance-based, will first undergo committee scrutiny.

Electronics and information technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw opened what appeared to be a second reading debate on the bill, amid constant protest from opposition members furious over separate bills that would remove detained elected representatives from office.

Vaishnaw followed praise for e-gaming and social gaming, which will be regulated under the bill, with an attack on the real-money gaming segment of online card and other skill games and fantasy sports, “which has become a matter of great concern in the community today”.

Citing cases of financial ruin and suicide and World Health Organization labelling of “online gaming [addiction] as a disorder”, Vaishnaw said “many families have been destroyed” by online gaming.

Nevada Gaming Salon Reform Up First On Post-Legislative Regulatory Agenda

After a Nevada legislative session that included the passage of several gaming reform bills, state regulators have begun the process of considering new regulations or amendments to current rules that are required to implement the statutory changes.

First on the rulemaking agenda of the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) are amendments to a regulation that is more than two decades old and governs the operations of private gaming salons, which are operated by non-restricted casino licensees such as the Bellagio or Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Those updates were included within Senate Bill 459, which was signed on May 31 by Republican Governor Joe Lombardo. The law required regulators to amend rules to remove a $500 minimum wager for slot machines in gaming salons within a Nevada casino-resort.

The minimum wager required for slot machines within the gaming salon will now be at the casino operator’s discretion and subject to NGCB approval.

The board's proposed amendments to Regulation 5.200 also will allow gaming salons to offer poker, as well as craps, baccarat, or blackjack.

On Wednesday (August 20), the control board heard testimony from industry representatives supportive of leaving the financial criteria for admission to a salon to the discretion of the casino operator.

The existing regulations creating a separate licensing category for salons date back to 2001, when the state legislature passed Senate Bill 283, permitting casinos to set up private gambling areas for high rollers.

The initial criteria for admission required was $500,000, which was then lowered to $300,0000 in 2008.

Initially, the control board proposed lowering the financial criteria to a $50,000 up-front deposit, a $50,000 line of credit, or a combination of the two for all table games except poker. If a gaming salon offers poker, then the buy-in for each participant will be at least $10,000, but no games can begin with less than a $50,000 total buy-in, according to the proposed amendments.

The California Gambling Control Commission has received information that an online casino, Vegas X Play Zone, is using an altered image of a gaming license certificate to claim that it is licensed by the commission.

The commission does not issue, nor has it ever issued, licenses to online casinos. Online gambling is illegal under California law, and the commission is not authorized to issue a license to an online casino.

“The commission is currently pursuing all available options to address this matter,” according to an advisory issued on Monday (August 18) by the regulatory agency to licensees.

Vegas X Play Zone has not responded to a request for comment.

The CGCC reminds consumers that any online casino purporting to be licensed by the commission is a danger to the health and safety of the people of California. Unlicensed online casinos, besides being illegal, often lack problem gambling support or know your customer anti-money laundering procedures.

Unlicensed online casinos are often fronts for scams and thefts, as they can keep a player’s deposited funds and refuse to pay out winnings. Since unlicensed online casinos operating in California are not regulated, players have no recourse for disputes between them and the casino.

“The commission urges the public to remember that online gambling is illegal in California. Even if you use a search engine to ask, “is this online casino legitimate?” often the online casino has a prepared search result that falsely claims that they are legal.”

Missouri Grants Untethered Licenses To DraftKings, Circa Sports

The Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) on Friday (August 15) awarded two untethered sports-betting licenses to DraftKings and Circa Sports, leaving FanDuel to enter the state through a market-access deal announced with Major League Soccer team St. Louis City SC.

DraftKings and Circa Sports are the only two operators that will not have to partner with an in-state land-based casino or professional sports franchise to offer online wagering when the market opens on December 1.

“Winning one of Missouri’s two untethered mobile licenses is a great honor,” Derek Stevens, CEO of Circa Sports, said in a statement. “We came in as a long shot against national giants like DraftKings and FanDuel, but our licensure approval proves there’s room for a different kind of operator.”

Each untethered license costs $500,000, compared to $250,000 for a tethered license, but it means DraftKings and Circa will not have to pay market-access fees to a Missouri casino or sports team.

“The commission considered many factors before the two applicants were chosen,” MGC chair Jan Zimmerman said in a statement. “We commend Betfair Interactive US LLC (FanDuel) for its efforts. It was a difficult decision, but the commission is only able to grant two licenses.”

The commission considered seven factors when determining which operators would get the two available mobile licenses, including ability to generate revenue for the state, commitment to responsible gambling, and capacity to increase the number of bettors on their platform.

For all other retail and mobile licenses, Zimmerman said completed applications must be filed by September 12, if the applicant wishes to offer sports wagering beginning on December 1.

New Jersey Sweepstakes Ban Becomes Law

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, signed a bill into law on Friday (August 15) making the state one of the largest gaming markets in the U.S. to affirmatively ban sweepstakes platforms.

The bill, A5447, had sat on Murphy’s desk for more than a month after being passed by the state legislature on June 30. Under the new law, dual-currency sweepstakes platforms that mimic casino-style games or sports betting are now illegal.

The state’s Division of Consumer Affairs and Division of Gaming Enforcement have been granted enforcement authority to target online sweepstakes casinos targeting New Jersey residents, while also establishing new penalties for offering the games.

Murphy did not comment on the reasoning behind his signing the bill. The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA) described the bill’s passage “as a gift to casino lobbyists, and a blow to digital freedom,” but did not comment Friday on the governor’s decision to sign the legislation.

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