Online Gaming Bill: Zupee stops money-based games, Ludo and Snakes & Ladders remain

Popular gaming platform Zupee announced on Thursday it will discontinue all online money games to comply with the newly passed Online Gaming Bill 2025, while continuing to offer free games like Ludo, Snakes & Ladders and other titles to its 150 million users across India. This decision follows similar moves by other major gaming companies like Dream11 and MPL in response to the bill passed by both houses of Parliament during the Monsoon Session.The company clarified that the platform will remain fully operational for free gaming experiences."Zupee remains fully operational and our players can continue to enjoy their favourite games on the platform. In line with the new Online Gaming Bill 2025, we are discontinuing paid games, but our hugely popular free titles like Ludo Supreme, Ludo Turbo, Snakes & Ladders, and Trump Card Mania will continue to be available for all users for free," stated a Zupee spokesperson.The spokesperson further added, "We remain committed to delivering fun, engaging, and responsible gaming & entertainment experiences to our 150 million users across India for free."Zupee, which had previously enlisted celebrities like Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Kapil Sharma as brand ambassadors, built its popularity through online money games.Other major gaming companies have also announced similar changes. Dream11 reportedly informed its staff about discontinuing online money games during a town hall meeting on August 20, while MPL made its announcement through a statement on August 21.The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025 received approval from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha during Parliament's Monsoon Session.Minister of Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw, while introducing the bill in the Rajya Sabha, emphasized that it would promote two-thirds of the online gaming industry while banning online money games."There is one such segment, 3rd - online money games, due to which a big problem has arisen in the society, especially in the middle-class youth. It gets addicted and the family's savings are spent. It is estimated that 45 crore people are affected by it and more than ₹20,000 crore has been destroyed in it. WHO has declared it a gaming disorder," Vaishnaw stated while presenting the bill.The minister identified online money games as a public health risk, particularly affecting middle-class youth.The new legislation aims to regulate the online gaming sector while specifically targeting games involving monetary transactions.The bill's implementation has prompted major gaming platforms to restructure their offerings, focusing on free-to-play games while discontinuing paid gaming options.These changes in the Indian online gaming landscape reflect the government's efforts to address concerns about gaming addiction and financial losses while maintaining support for the broader gaming industry.The transition affects millions of users across India who previously engaged in online money games through these platforms, though they will continue to have access to free gaming options.