WWE is expanding its presence in India through Netflix, but another part of the country’s digital entertainment industry is facing a major crackdown. While wrestling fans now have access to Raw, SmackDown, NXT, and Premium Live Events through the streaming service, India’s government has introduced sweeping restrictions on online gambling. The changes show how differently the country is treating various forms of digital entertainment.
WWE’s push into the Indian market took a major step forward when Ringside News reported in December 2024 that the company would move its programming from Sony Pictures Networks India to Netflix. That transition officially took place on April 1, 2025, ending a broadcasting relationship that had lasted more than two decades.
The deal brought WWE’s weekly television programming and major events together on one streaming platform. Netflix also introduced live Hindi commentary and access to archival WWE content, giving subscribers additional ways to follow the company’s programming. India has been an important market for WWE for years, and the company has made it clear that its Netflix partnership is part of a larger international expansion strategy.
In March 2025, WWE President Nick Khan confirmed that the company was considering bringing a major Premium Live Event to India. Speaking about the company’s discussions with Netflix, Khan revealed that India was one of the first markets identified as a priority. Khan also explained how closely WWE’s international plans were connected to Netflix’s priorities.
“At the top of that list was India. If it’s important to Netflix, assume it’s important to us.”
WWE continued promoting its presence in the country when Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio traveled to Mumbai in April 2025. As Ringside News previously covered, the two Superstars took part in a Bollywood-inspired promotional photoshoot to celebrate WWE’s arrival on Netflix India.
However, while WWE was expanding its streaming business, the Indian government was preparing significant restrictions on another form of online entertainment. India enacted the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act in August 2025. The legislation, which took effect alongside implementing rules on May 1, 2026, established nationwide restrictions on online money gaming, including games involving financial stakes and the expectation of monetary winnings.
The law covers games based on skill, chance, or a combination of both. It also prohibits advertising and promoting prohibited online money games, while restricting financial transactions connected to those services.
The crackdown has particular significance for the online gambling industry, including websites and operators associated with crypto casinos in India. Cryptocurrency-based gambling does not automatically fall outside the restrictions simply because digital assets are used instead of traditional currency.
According to the Indian government’s explanation of the regulations, the restrictions are designed to address financial harm and other risks associated with online money gaming while supporting permitted social games and esports.
That creates a significant difference between WWE’s streaming expansion and the challenges facing real-money gaming businesses.
Netflix operates as a subscription entertainment service, providing access to WWE programming alongside movies, television series, and other content. Online casino operators, however, face restrictions when their services involve users staking money or money-equivalent assets in the expectation of financial returns.
The distinction is especially important as India’s government has also targeted the advertising and promotion of prohibited online money games. The restrictions extend beyond the games themselves to marketing activities and payment services connected to them.
The legislation does not prohibit every form of online gaming. Instead, the government has established separate categories for permitted social gaming and recognized esports, distinguishing those activities from games involving financial stakes.
For WWE, the regulatory changes do not appear to affect its Netflix distribution agreement. The company’s wrestling programming remains separate from the online money gaming industry, and there is no indication that India’s gambling restrictions have altered WWE’s streaming plans.
WWE has also maintained a distinct international distribution strategy. As Ringside News reported during the rollout of WWE’s ESPN agreement in the United States, Indian viewers continued receiving Premium Live Events through Netflix rather than switching to the American streaming arrangement.
The contrast between the two industries demonstrates the different directions India’s digital entertainment market is taking. WWE has secured broader distribution through a major international streaming platform, while online money gaming businesses are dealing with restrictions on their services, advertising, and financial operations.
WWE’s long-term ambitions in India remain an important part of the story. Nick Khan has already discussed the possibility of holding a major Premium Live Event in the country, and the Netflix partnership provides an established distribution platform for the company’s programming.
With WWE continuing to pursue international expansion, could India eventually become a regular destination for major Premium Live Events?
