With the start of May, several new rules have come into effect in India—and many of them can directly impact your daily expenses.
From online gaming regulations to ATM charges and banking changes, here’s a simple breakdown of what’s changing from May 1, 2026.
New Rules for Online Gaming
The biggest update is in the online gaming space.
Under a new law, the government has set up the Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI) to regulate gaming platforms.
Games are now divided into three categories:
Online money games
Social games
E-sports
High-risk platforms must register, and strict safety features have been introduced. These include:
Age limits
Parental controls
Playtime restrictions
Fair-play monitoring
Foreign gaming companies will also have to follow Indian rules if they want to operate in the country.
ATM Withdrawals to Get Costlier
There’s also a change in ATM charges approved by the Reserve Bank of India.
After your free monthly limit is used up, each ATM transaction will now cost ₹23, up from ₹21.
Here’s how the free limits work:
Your bank’s ATM: 5 free transactions per month
Other bank ATMs:
3 free in metro cities
5 free in non-metro areas
After that, charges will apply.
One State-One RRB Scheme
The government is also pushing banking reforms with the One State-One RRB scheme.
This initiative by the Ministry of Finance India aims to merge multiple Regional Rural Banks into one bank per state.
In this phase:
15 RRBs across 11 states will be merged
Total number of RRBs will reduce from 43 to 28
The goal is to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and provide better banking services.
Changes in Interest Rates
Some banks and financial institutions have updated their interest rules.
RBL Bank will now credit savings account interest monthly instead of quarterly
Interest will be calculated daily based on your balance
Meanwhile, Shriram Finance Limited has revised FD rates:
Senior citizens get an extra 0.50% interest
Women investors get an additional 0.10% interest
LPG Cylinder Rules May Change
There could also be changes in LPG cylinder pricing and booking rules.
Based on recent trends:
Prices may increase for both domestic and commercial cylinders
Booking gap may increase to:
25 days in cities
45 days in rural areas
An OTP system has also been introduced for delivery. Customers will need to share the OTP at the time of receiving the cylinder to prevent misuse.
What This Means for You
These changes may seem small, but they can affect your daily expenses and financial planning.
ATM withdrawals could cost more
Gaming platforms will become more regulated
Banking services may improve
LPG usage may become slightly stricter
