<h1>Parliament proposes ban on real-money online games, bars payments, imposes prison, heavy fines, regulator for e-sports</h1> The government introduced a bill in the lower house to prohibit online games played for money, banning offering, operating, facilitating, advertising and financial transactions for such games irrespective of skill or chance. Banks and payment systems would be barred from processing related funds. Penalties include up to three years' imprisonment and fines up to Rs 1 crore, higher penalties for repeat offences (3-5 years; fines up to Rs 2 crore), and key offences proposed as cognizable and non-bailable. The bill creates a regulator for e-sports, educational and social games, exempts non-monetary e-sports and educational platforms, and cites addiction, fraud, money-laundering and security risks as justification.