Pixel P&L: Indian Government to Introduce Bill to Prohibit Online Gaming with Monetary Stakes

Welcome to another Pixel P&L edition. This issue takes 5 minutes to read. If you only have one, here are the 5 most important things:

• India prepares a sweeping ban on online real money games with harsh penalties.

• Cricket star KL Rahul joins Red Bull India's partnership with GodLike Esports.

• Assassin's Creed Shadows tops Europe's 2025 sales despite overall market decline of 6%.

• BookMyShow partners with Rupay for exclusive benefits at major festivals including Lollapalooza India, Sunburn, and Bandland

• Indian indie studio's "Bal Hanuman" anime-style trailer goes viral with 300k+ views.

 Let's get into it.

India Proposes Sweeping Ban on Online Real Money Gaming

India's cabinet approved legislation that would impose a blanket ban on online games involving monetary stakes, citing concerns over addiction, suicides linked to financial losses, and national security threats.

The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025, drafted by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, would target the $3.3 billion sector regardless of whether games involve skill, chance, or both. The proposed framework threatens to shut down major operators across the industry.

Under the bill, violators could face up to three years imprisonment and fines reaching INR 100 million ($1.2 million). Banks facilitating transactions for such games would face identical penalties, while advertising would carry two-year jail terms.

The legislation exempts esports and social games (traditional video games without monetary stakes), which the government aims to promote as part of India's digital gaming ambitions. The bill, expected in Parliament Wednesday, would also establish a national gaming authority while expanding content-blocking powers beyond existing IT regulations.

Cricket Star KL Rahul Joins Red Bull India's Partnership with GodLike Esports

GodLike Esports has forged a strategic partnership with Red Bull India, featuring cricket star KL Rahul as brand ambassador in the "Dil Se Godlike" campaign that bridges traditional sports and competitive gaming.

The collaboration extends beyond conventional sponsorship, with Red Bull providing GodLike access to global resources, enhanced training facilities, and comprehensive marketing support for their multi-game competitive teams spanning titles including Battlegrounds Mobile India, Call of Duty Mobile, and EA FC.

Rahul's involvement brings mainstream sports credibility to India's burgeoning esports sector, where audiences and prize pools continue expanding rapidly. The partnership aims to elevate fan engagement through exclusive content, tournament events, and specialized campaigns targeting India's growing gaming community.

⚡️Quick Bytes

Anime-Style "Bal Hanuman" Short Film Unveils Trailer Ahead of March 2026 Release

Indian indie studio Noctrnl Studios released a trailer for "Bal Hanuman," an anime-inspired short featuring the Hindu deity in child form. The hand-drawn animation showcases Studio Ghibli-influenced backgrounds and dynamic sequences. With over 300,000 YouTube views, viewers praise it as among India's finest animation work, scheduled for March 2026 release.

BookMyShow Launches Live Events Passport with RuPay for Exclusive Concert Access

India's BookMyShow partnered with RuPay to launch a Live Events Passport offering cardholders exclusive benefits at major festivals including Lollapalooza India, Sunburn, and Bandland. Perks include early ticket access, VIP experiences, and dedicated lounges. The collaboration targets India's under-35 demographic, comprising over 66% of the population, reflecting growing demand for premium entertainment experiences.

Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Shadows Tops Europe's 2025 New Game Sales

Assassin's Creed Shadows became Europe's best-selling new game this year, outpacing Monster Hunter Wilds and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, according to GSD data reported by The Games Business. Despite the success, overall European game sales declined 6% to 71 million units through July, with digital sales down 3% and physical sales dropping 9%.

⚔️Side Quest

📺 Watch: Here’s why you might notice fewer young gamers around: Gen Z has largely stopped buying games due to economic pressures, with spending down 25%. It explores how rising prices, aggressive monetization, and declining AAA quality have priced out an entire generation, while affordable indie games thrive by delivering real value.

🎮 Play: If you're comfortable with mature, darker themes and enjoy Dark Souls-inspired gameplay, BLACK SOULS offers an intriguing 10-hour fairy tale twist. You'll need the developer's patch for the complete experience due to Steam restrictions. The balancing feels inconsistent and art style varies, but you might find the narrative depth engaging despite its controversial content.

📚 Read: UK agency Bastion's latest G2M survey reveals a games marketing industry in transition: 64% of marketers feel budgets are inadequate, yet organic influencer strategies are dominating over paid media, with discoverability remaining the top challenge. Critical reading for games marketers.

💡Did You Know

Did you know Vin Diesel's 2003 action thriller "A Man Apart" was originally titled "Diablo"? The film, which starred Diesel as DEA agent Sean Vetter seeking revenge after his wife's murder, had to undergo a last-minute title change due to legal pressure from Blizzard Entertainment. The gaming company sued for trademark infringement, claiming the title violated their rights to the popular "Diablo" video game franchise. Rather than engage in a prolonged legal battle, the producers opted to rename the film. The title change didn't help the movie's reception, as it received largely negative reviews and performed poorly at the box office.

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