India: Online betting and opinion trading platforms exit Haryana amid state crackdown

A wave of regulatory pressure has prompted several online gaming and opinion trading platforms to cease operations in Haryana, following the enactment of the Prevention of Public Gambling Act, 2025.

The new law, introduced during the state’s recent budget session, imposes strict penalties on online gambling, sports betting, and match-fixing, leading to immediate exits from the region by operators including SportsBaazi, MPL, and TradeX.

SportsBaazi, which runs a sports-based prediction market, has quietly updated its terms to include Haryana in the list of restricted states, alongside Assam, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Nagaland.

The company issued a notice stating: “Please be informed that fantasy sport games on the SportsBaazi platform are ‘games of skill’ as per applicable laws and court judgments in India.

"You may participate in such games only if you are above 18 years of age and not a resident of any restricted states in India (i.e., Assam, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana, Chhattisgarh & Nagaland) in which playing, participating and/or operation of ‘games of skill’ for stakes is prohibited.”

Mobile Premier League (MPL), one of India’s leading online gaming platforms, has also suspended its ‘Opinio’ feature in Haryana. The decision follows a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a ban on such opinion trading services.

MPL has revised its Terms and Conditions to reflect the changes, barring users from Haryana from participating in formats “that pertain to events whose outcome is unknown,” which includes both MPL Opinio and MPL Fantasy.

According to the company’s platform rules, “This Platform may not be used by persons located in the states of Assam, Nagaland, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Further, there may be certain games that may be restricted in some additional states."

"Formats that pertain to events whose outcome is unknown, specifically MPL Opinio and MPL Fantasy, shall not be used by users located in the state of Haryana,” the rules further say. 

Meanwhile, TradeX has taken more drastic action, shutting down all real-money gaming (RMG) operations across India. The company cited mounting regulatory challenges, including the 28 percent Goods and Services Tax (GST) on online gaming and restrictions imposed in states like Haryana and Chhattisgarh.

TradeX, which allowed users to trade opinions on real-world events, was founded in 2021 by Divij Goyal and Ankit Shrivastava. The platform is now shifting to a free-to-play social gaming model. In a message to users, the company said: “After careful consideration, we are shifting from a real money gaming platform to a free-to-play, casual social gaming platform focused on fun and entertainment."

"Keeping that in mind, we have stopped deposits of all users as well as stopped trading activities. This change is driven by the heavy 28 percent GST tax, which favors bigger players and makes growth and profitability difficult for us.”

Under the Prevention of Public Gambling Act, 2025, individuals convicted of match-fixing or spot-fixing face a minimum of three years in prison and fines starting at ₹5 lakh ($5,846.83). Repeat violations could result in up to seven years of imprisonment.