<h1>Cabinet backs bill to regulate online gaming, likely banning real-money play over mental-health, money-laundering, fraud risks under IT/IGST laws</h1> The Cabinet approved a bill to regulate online gaming platforms, with a likely prohibition on real-money gaming, to be tabled in Parliament. The measure cites mental-health harms and risks of money laundering, fraud and cybercrime. Under current law, states and Union Territories retain primary responsibility for preventing and prosecuting illegal betting and gambling; a recent high court decision upheld state competence to ban real-money games and rejected efforts by platforms to recharacterize offerings as 'games of skill.' The Centre has issued numerous blocking orders and empowers tax and cyber authorities under IT and IGST laws to block and regulate unregistered or offshore gaming suppliers.