India real-money adjacency: what a casual F2P ad must not imply
Checklist against PROG Act 2025 sections 5–6 prohibiting offering and advertising online money games, for casual F2P creatives that risk RMG adjacency.
Purpose
Keep casual F2P India creatives clear of online money game advertising prohibitions under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025.
Primary prohibitions
The gazette Act PDF (Act No. 32 of 2025, presidential assent 22 August 2025):
- Section 5 — no person shall offer, aid, abet, induce or otherwise engage in offering an online money game or online money gaming service.
- Section 6 — no person shall make or cause any advertisement, in any media including electronic communication, that directly or indirectly promotes or induces any person to play an online money game or indulge in activity promoting online money gaming.
- Section 9(2) — Section 6 breach: imprisonment up to two years and/or fine up to fifty lakh rupees (higher for repeats).
The OGAI/MeitY advisory PDF states the Act came into force on 1 May 2026 and restates duties under Sections 5–7.
Creative checklist
| # | Check | Fail if |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cash / wallet fantasy | Ad shows withdrawing real money, UPI payouts, or “earn cash” |
| 2 | Entry fee language | “Pay to enter”, “stake”, “winner takes pool” for real value |
| 3 | Celebrity RMG endorsement style | Talent known for money-gaming apps endorsing your F2P as if it pays out |
| 4 | Ambiguous “real rewards” | Copy that a reasonable viewer reads as real-money prizes |
| 5 | Landing | Store listing likewise free of money-game inducements |
| 6 | Partner media | Influencer briefs explicitly ban RMG adjacency claims |
Limits
Social / e-sports recognition categories are separate statutory buckets; this card only polices money-game advertising adjacency for casual F2P. Confirm live OGAI categorisation if a mode could be recharacterised.
