Draft rules for online gaming : What are the regulations govt has released, and why
Context- The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has released draft rules for online gaming. IT minister Chandrasekhar said the government may also regulate the content of online gaming, to ensure they don’t have ‘violent, addictive or sexual content’.
What do the draft rules say?
The proposed rules, aimed at safeguarding users against potential harm from skill-based games, have been introduced as an amendment to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
- As per the principles laid under the rule, wagering on the outcome of a game will not be allowed. All online gaming companies will have to register with the self-regulatory body.
- The self-regulatory body will have a board of directors with five members from diverse fields, including online gaming, public policy, IT, psychology and medicine.
- It must ensure that the registered games don’t have anything “which is not in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states or public order, or incites the commission of any cognizable offense relating to the aforesaid.
- There could be more than one self regulatory body and all of them will have to inform the Centre about the games they have registered along with a report detailing the criteria for registering.
- Like an intermediary, online gaming firms will be required to undertake additional due diligence, including KYC of users, transparent withdrawal and refund of money, and a fair distribution of winnings.
- Gaming companies will also have to secure a random number generation certificate, which is typically used by platforms that offer card games to ensure that game outputs are statistically random and unpredictable. They will also have to get a “no bot certificate” from a reputed certifying body.
- Online gaming platforms will also have to appoint a compliance officer who will ensure that the platform is following norms, a nodal officer who will act as a liaison official with the government and assist law enforcement agencies, and a grievance officer who will resolve user complaints.
Online gaming sector in India
The revenue of the Indian mobile gaming industry is expected to reach $5 billion in 2025. The industry grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 38 per cent in India between 2017-2020, as opposed to 8 per cent in China and 10 per cent in the US.
(Credits- Deccan Herald)
Way Forward – Online Gaming industry in India needs a kind of regulation that provides opportunities and framework for its growth and expansion. However, at the same time ensuring that it is not violent and addictive.
NEWS- Draft rules for online gaming: What are the regulations govt has released, and why
Syllabus- GS-3; Government Policies and Regulation