Are you an online gamer or investor? This bill could directly affect you.
In today’s headline, a major move by the Government of India is catching breath of online gamers! A new draft of online gaming bill has been cleared by the Union Cabinet and will be introduced in Parliament today.
What does the bill has?
It clearly proposes for banning all pay-to-play (PTP) online games. This bill covers both skill-based and chance-based games. This means, regulated real-money gaming (RMG) platforms across India may have to shut down if the bill gets a check on lok sabha tables.
This step is seen as a major effort to reduce gambling and the flow of money through online gaming in the country.
Under the pressure, Nazara Technologies, India’s only publicly listed gaming company, saw its shares drop over 6% after this news. To mention, the company owns popular titles like Curve Games, Kiddopia, and World Cricket Championship, as well as offline gaming venues like Funky Monkeys and Smaash Entertainment.
Nazara Technologies Stakes At A Glance
- In September 2024, Nazara Technologies acquired a 47.7% stake in Moonshine Technology for approximately Rs 832 crore.
- Moonshine Technology operates PokerBaazi, India’s leading poker platform, representing Nazara’s real-money gaming exposure.
- As of August 20, 2025, Nazara holds a 46.07% stake in Moonshine Technology, valued at Rs 805 crore.
- Moonshine Technologies is treated as an associate company by Nazara and is not consolidated in its financial books.
Although the company previously stated that it has no involvement with real-money gaming business, the facts suggest otherwise. The direct impact of the bill passing shows that the company has been involved in activities that could hurt the sentiments of its investors.
“Nazara has no direct exposure to real money gaming businesses. As per its latest reported financials, the contribution to revenues and EBITDA by RMG business is nil. The company’s only indirect exposure to RMG is through its 46.07 percent stake in Moonshine,” said the company, in a filing with the exchanges.
After all that, Nazara Technologies has been heavily relying on PokerBaazi to boost growth along with the users’ growth, revenue, and engagement.
Are you curious how this strategy is playing out?
After PokerBaazi’s latest earnings report for the June quarter, experts at Centrum Broking highlighted that Nazara’s recent revenue growth is largely driven by acquisitions like PokerBaazi. This shows the company’s focus on expanding its gaming portfolio to stay competitive. If you’re following Nazara or the gaming industry, this trend might interest you.
Aishwarya is a journalism graduate with over three years of experience thriving in the buzzing corporate media world. She’s got a knack for decoding business news, tracking the twists and turns of the stock market, covering the masala of the entertainment world, and sometimes her stories come with just the right sprinkle of political commentary. She has worked with several organizations, interned at ZEE and gained professional skills at TV9 and News24, And now is learning and writing at NewsX, she’s no stranger to the newsroom hustle. Her storytelling style is fast-paced, creative, and perfectly tailored to connect with both the platform and its audience. Moto: Approaching every story from the reader’s point of view, backing up her insights with solid facts.
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