‘Blanket Ban On Real Money Games Could Stifle Innovation’: Opinion Trading Platform Probo On Gaming Bill

Leading skill gaming platform, Probo, on Thursday responded to the newly introduced ‘Online Gaming Bill’, warning against a blanket ban on real-money games (RMGs). It stated that such a move by the government could unintentionally limit the sector’s potential and stifle innovation.

While the company termed the intent to create regulatory clarity as a step in the right direction, Probo urged the government to adopt more balanced rules and formal recognition of opinion trading.

“Probo emphasises that a more balanced regulatory approach would better safeguard consumers, generate sustainable tax revenues, create jobs and prevent the migration of users to unregulated platforms,” the leading opinion trading platform said in a press release.

The gaming company also noted its continued support for fair growth, consumer protection and digital progress through smart regulation. “The bill paves the way for faster adoption of e-sports and online social games, facilitates the creation of a central regulatory authority, and ensures a level playing field while accelerating the segment’s contributions to India’s fast-growing digital economy,” the gaming platform said.

The company outlined that opinion trading, known globally as information or prediction markets, is a trusted tool for economics and goes beyond just entertainment.

“In India, opinion trading has been characterised as a game. However, in the United States, it has been regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a Designated Contract Market. At its very core, opinion trading (prediction markets) is a tool for economic insight…that enables users to apply judgment, knowledge and analysis to real-world developments,” commented Anurag Dhandhi, Business Head at Probo, on the Bill’s potential impact.

“It is a nascent-yet-thriving sector globally that contributes to improving financial literacy, data-driven decision-making and strengthening the larger digital economy,” he added.

The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, was passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The Bill aims to boost e-sports and social gaming, while banning real-money gaming and online betting due to risks of addiction and financial harm.