- within Strategy, Privacy and Technology topic(s)
- with Senior Company Executives, HR and Inhouse Counsel
- in Asia
- with readers working within the Law Firm industries
GAMING NEWS UPDATE
1. MASSACHUSETTS COURT BARS KALSHI FROM OFFERING SPORTS-EVENTS CONTRACTS IN MASSACHUSETTS
On 6 February 2026, a Massachusetts court ordered prediction-market operator Kalshi to cease offering sports-event contracts in the state within 30 days, holding that such contracts amount to unlicensed sports wagering under state law. The court rejected Kalshi's argument that federal oversight by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) pre-empts state gambling regulation, emphasising the state's police powers to regulate betting activities. The ruling, which declined to stay the injunction pending appeal, marks a key development in the ongoing regulatory scrutiny of sports-linked prediction markets in the United States, as well as globally.
2. GOOGLE ADS PULLS RUMMY AND FANTASY SPORTS ADS IN INDIA FROM 21 JANUARY 2026
From 21 January 2026, Google Ads is updating the Indiaspecific section of its Gambling and Games policy to prohibit all Rummy and Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) promotions targeting Indian users, in alignment with local legal requirements and following the enactment of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 (PROGA). This marks one of the most significant ad restrictions on the Indian online gaming ecosystem in recent years and is expected to materially affect fantasy operators, real-money gaming platforms, affiliates, and digital agencies that rely on Google's network for user acquisition and brand visibility. The update reinforces Google's global gambling framework, under which gambling and gambling-promoting ads are allowed only in approved countries, must never target minors, and must display responsible gambling information on landing pages, with "gambling" defined as staking something of value on an outcome partly determined by chance for a chance to win something of value. For India, Rummy and DFS will be removed from the list of permitted formats, and all gambling-promoting content, including online casinos, sports betting, lotteries, and games using virtual currencies with real-world value, remains strictly certification-based, with non-compliance exposing advertisers to suspension of ad accounts and heightened scrutiny of affiliate and comparison-site formats.
3. ONLINE GAMING RULES NOTIFICATION EXPECTED WITHIN 15 DAYS
Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, announced on January 22, 2026, at the World Economic Forum in Davos that the rules under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 ("Act") will be notified within 15 days following extensive stakeholder consultations, including the gaming industry, financial sector, regulators, and law enforcement. The rules, already finalized, will operationalize the PROGA's substantive provisions, through mechanisms like the proposed Online Gaming Authority of India for game registration, grievance redressal, and penalties, building on October 2025 draft rules open for public feedback.
SPORTS NEWS UPDATE
1. OPERATIONALIZATION OF THE NATIONAL SPORTS GOVERNANCE ACT, 2025
Select provisions of the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, were brought into force with effect from January 1, 2026, marking the first phase of its implementation and signaling the transition to a new, centralized governance framework for sports in India. The notified provisions, inter alia, operationalize the framework for establishment and governance of National Sports Bodies, constitute the National Sports Board and the National Sports Tribunal, lay down core compliance obligations, and clarify the privileges, duties and regulatory oversight applicable to recognised sports organisations, along with the Central Government's rule-making powers. In furtherance of the phased implementation, the Central Government notified the National Sports Board (Searchcum-Selection Committee) Rules, 2026, on January 8, 2026, followed by the National Sports Governance (National Sports Bodies) Rules, 2026, on January 12, 2026, which prescribe detailed norms on composition, elections and disqualifications of office-bearers of National Sports Bodies. Notably, the final rules introduce a granular, time-bound election schedule, departing in certain respects from the October 2025 draft, mandating completion of key preparatory steps such as preparation of sportsperson rosters, appointment of the Electoral Officer, and publication of draft and final electoral rolls within specified timelines prior to the expiry of the incumbent executive committee's term.
2. DELHI HIGH COURT INTERVENES IN WINTER OLYMPICS SELECTION AND DIRECTS FACILITATION OF ATHLETE'S PARTICIPATION
In a significant ruling reinforcing fairness and transparency in sports governance, the Delhi High Court, vide its judgment dated January 30, 2026 in the case of Manjeet v. Indian Olympic Association & Ors., W.P.(C) 936/2026, granted relief to Manjeet, a cross-country skier, challenging his exclusion from India's contingent for the XXV Winter Olympic Games, Milano-Cortina 2026. The petitioner contended that despite consistently strong performances at national competitions and holding the top position in the official FIS rankings for the 2025-26 season, he was arbitrarily excluded from selection by an Ad-hoc Committee constituted by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). The Court found the selection process to be manifestly arbitrary and unfair, noting serious deficiencies in transparency and governance, including the participation of active athletes as members of the selection committee, raising concerns of conflict of interest. Emphasising that merit-based selection is central to the integrity of Indian sports administration, the Court held that the IOA and the Ad-hoc Committee had failed in their supervisory duties and that such conduct risked eroding public confidence in sports institutions.
Accordingly, the Court allowed the petitioner's prayers seeking inclusion and a declaration of arbitrariness and directed the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to make all reasonable efforts to ensure the petitioner's participation in the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, with the IOA and the Ad-hoc Committee mandated to extend full cooperation. While the Court deferred adjudication on the legality of the constitution of the Ad-hoc Committee itself, noting that the issue was sub judice in separate proceedings, it strongly criticised the Ministry for acting as a passive observer, reiterating that the State and its instrumentalities bear a positive obligation to ensure fair, transparent and merit-based athlete selection processes.
3. DELHI HIGH COURT AFFIRMS PERSONALITY RIGHTS OF SUNIL GAVASKAR
In a significant development for sports and personality rights jurisprudence, the Delhi High Court, by its order dated 23 December 2025, granted protection to the personality and publicity rights of former Indian cricketer and commentator Sunil Gavaskar in Sunil Gavaskar v. Cricket Tak (CricketTak557) and Ors. [CS(COMM) 1329/2025]. The case arose from the unauthorised sale of merchandise bearing Gavaskar's name, image and signature on e-commerce platforms, as well as the attribution of false quotes to him on social media. The Court prima facie recognised that Gavaskar enjoys celebrity status in India, conferring upon him proprietary rights over his personality and its associated attributes, including his name, image, photograph, signature and likeness. Holding that these elements constitute protectable facets of personality rights, the Court granted an ex-parte ad-interim injunction, restraining identified defendants as well as John Doe entities from misusing Gavaskar's attributes for commercial purposes. Notably, the restraint extends to misuse through technological tools such as artificial intelligence, GIFs, printing, publishing or similar means, and the Court also directed the take-down of infringing URLs, reinforcing judicial protection against digital and AI-enabled exploitation of sports personalities.
4. WADA PROHIBITED LIST 2026 COMES INTO FORCE The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
released its 2026 Prohibited List, which came into effect on 1 January 2026 as a mandatory international standard under the World Anti-Doping Code, introducing several clarifications and targeted updates aimed at improving regulatory certainty and athlete compliance. Key changes include expanded guidance across multiple substance classes, such as anabolic agents, peptide hormones and growth factors, hormone and metabolic modulators, and stimulants, as well as a revised dosing interval for salmeterol to mitigate performance-enhancing effects without altering the maximum daily dose. The list also strengthens prohibitions on blood manipulation, restricts withdrawal of blood or blood components to legitimate medical or research purposes, and introduces the non-diagnostic use of carbon monoxide as a newly prohibited method. Further, WADA has expressly expanded the scope of gene and cell doping to include specific cell components such as mitochondria and ribosomes, and clarified that sustained-release glucocorticoids may remain detectable beyond standard washout periods. Alongside the updated list, WADA issued enhanced educational and monitoring tools, reiterating the principle of strict liability and underscoring the need for athletes and support personnel to proactively verify medications and supplements to avoid inadvertent anti-doping rule violations.
5. UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT HEARS ARGUMENTS ON TRANSGENDER ATHLETE BANS
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on January 13, 2026, concerning the legality of state laws that ban transgender girls and women from competing on female school and collegiate teams, including in Idaho and West Virginia. The consolidated cases, viz. Little v. Hecox (Idaho) and West Virginia v. B.P.J., examine whether such laws violate the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution and Title IX's prohibition on sex-based discrimination. The majority of justices on the 9-judge bench appeared sympathetic to the states' position, signalling that laws restricting participation to individuals based on biological sex at birth may not conflict with Title IX or constitutional guarantees, while other justices raised concerns about discrimination and possible narrower relief for the individual athletes. A decision is widely expected by mid-2026, with potentially farreaching implications for transgender rights in sports and beyond.
6. ISL CLUBS SEEK GOVERNMENT SUPPORT AND RELEGATION FREEZE AMID FINANCIAL STRAIN
Indian Super League (ISL) clubs have jointly written to India's Sports Ministry, urging immediate financial relief and a temporary freeze on relegation for the next three to five seasons to protect the league's stability. The 14 ISL teams described the upcoming 2026 season as a "virtual force majeure", warning that imposing relegation this season could damage sporting integrity and deter future investment. At the core of the clubs' request is financial support from Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) through sponsorship, branding, or advertising to provide immediate relief and institutional credibility, helping restore private investment confidence. They also asked the Ministry to help secure concessional or subsidised access to government-owned stadiums (where most teams train and play) and ease mandatory match-day expenses such as utilities, security, and local administrative costs. The clubs have also proposed a temporary relaxation of certain club licensing norms for this exceptional season, deferring some developmental requirements while maintaining essential criteria related to safety and competition integrity.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
