Haryana bans opinion trading apps

Haryana has banned opinion trading apps that allow betting on future events retrospectively from 9 April, according to an official Gazette notification reviewed by Mint. 

Prompted by a public interest litigation and subsequent high court intervention, the move renders platforms like Probo, SportsBaazi, and MPL Opinio illegal within the state. 

The state government ordered the ban under its Prevention of Public Gambling Act, 2025.

This month, the Chhattisgarh High Court also directed geo-blocking of platforms like Probo, SportsBaazi, and MPL Opinio within the state, though it allowed them to operate elsewhere in the country. 

While companies did not immediately respond to media queries, MPL Opinio stopped operations in Haryana earlier this week — before the formal notification bringing the law into force. Though the Act exempts games of skill, it leaves out formats like fantasy sports, raising concerns over legal ambiguity. 

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The Haryana Prevention of Public Gambling Bill, 2025 is aimed at curbing public gambling, including betting on sports and elections.

One of the key provisions of the Act targets match-fixing and spot-fixing in sports, making such offences punishable with a minimum of three years’ imprisonment, which may extend to five years, along with a fine of no less than ₹5 lakh. Repeat offenders face harsher penalties, with imprisonment of up to seven years.

However, while the Act was enacted earlier, it has only now been notified.

Previously, the Securities and Exchange Board of India also distanced itself from the opinion trading ecosystem, stating that such platforms do not fall under its regulatory purview. 

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Despite lingering legal ambiguity, the opinion trading space continues to thrive. Industry estimates suggest that over 50 million users now engage with such platforms, generating nearly ₹50,000 crore in annual transaction volumes, with projected revenues of ₹1,000 crore for FY25.

Leading platforms like Probo have attracted significant investor interest, raising $28 million from names such as Peak XV Partners, Elevation Capital, and The Fundamentum Partnership. TradeX counts Y Combinator among its backers, while SportsBaazi, originally a fantasy sports operator, has ventured into opinion trading—highlighting the sector’s growing appeal.

The Haryana law broadly defines a “bet” as any agreement—oral, written, or otherwise—between parties on the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event with an uncertain outcome, where incorrect predictions result in the loss or payment of a monetary or non-monetary stake.

And read | GMR Sports in talks to buy gaming startup Fantasy Akhada