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The Hindu
13 minutes ago
- The Hindu
With real money gaming ban, govt. breaks off from self-regulation attempts
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which was passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday (August 20, 2025), marks a major and sudden departure for the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology from its earlier approach of nudging the real money gaming (RMG) industry to self-regulate. The industry, which counts large firms like Dream11, MPL and PokerBaazi, has largely maintained public silence, but has voiced concern in a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah. In 2023, the IT Ministry announced an amendment to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to regulate RMG firms, by getting them to set up a government-registered self-regulatory body. However, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters on Wednesday the proposals were rife with conflicts of interest. In the meantime, complaints mounted from MPs and social organisations, Mr. Vaishnaw said, about the toll that RMG platforms were exerting on their constituents and families around the country. 'This was across party lines,' Mr. Vaishnaw said. 'In every State we were hearing these complaints.' Similar pan-partisan tensions preceded the decision by the GST Council in 2023, when a 28% tax was slapped on all deposits in RMG platforms at face value, as opposed to on the commission, as was the case earlier. The RMG industry has successfully stalled or fought off State-level bans, thanks to the courts' settled view that games of 'skill,' where a player's experience and smarts can influence the outcome far more than luck, do not constitute gambling. Since States are restricted by the Constitution on regulating games that are not legally recognised as gambling, the Union government holds the cards. And until Wednesday, it appeared that a light-touch regime would prevail. With this Bill, the government seeks to render the skill-chance binary moot, presenting the RMG industry with perhaps its final shot at legitimacy at the courts. If the courts do not side in the government's favour, the state would continue to have yet another policy tool at its disposal: the rumoured so-called sin tax GST rate of 40%, which would further strain the industry's ability to remain an enticing option for people who want to play to win money. 'Litigation is inevitable,' Meghna Bal, founder of the tech policy think tank Esya Centre said, 'as this law fails the test of proportionality under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution.' Ms. Bal argued that the 2023 IT Rules amendment was a feasible way to regulate the sector. 'There is no rational connection between the law and the purpose it seeks to serve, as it only opens up the market further for illegal offshore platforms that are driving financial losses.' The Bill also provides explicit clarity to esports firms, which offer competition-based video games, with real life tournaments gaining increasing interest and viewership in India. An 'authority' would be established by the IT Ministry that would register esports firms as well as determine whether a given platform is an 'online money game' or not.
Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
‘Swaraj Bachao' rally of Cong seeks local elections immediately
1 2 Jaipur: In a fiery address at the 'Swaraj Bachao' rally here Wednesday, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Govind Singh Dotasra accused the BJP-led state govt of deliberately delaying urban local body and panchayat elections . The rally, organised by Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Organisation on the birth anniversary of former PM Rajiv Gandhi, saw Congress members and supporters demanding immediate elections and opposing arbitrary delimitation and the two-child norm in elections. Dotasra criticised the state govt for what he termed as a blatant violation of constitutional provisions and court orders. He alleged that BJP was undermining local governance under the pretext of 'One State, One Election', a move he claimed was aimed at consolidating power and weakening democratic processes. Dotasra said, "Unfortunately, there are forces in power in the country that do not respect the Constitution, openly violate constitutional provisions, disrespect the opposition and weaken democracy." He added, "State BJP govt is attacking constitutional provisions by postponing panchayat and municipal body polls." Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
Nirbhay Morning Walk in Kolhapur marks Dabholkar death anniversary, calls for action against superstition
Kolhapur: Young rationalists in Kolhapur city organised the 'Nirbhay Morning Walk' on the 12th death anniversary of Narendra Dabholkar, chanting "Narendra Dabholkar Amar Rahe" on Wednesday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The walk commenced at Bindu Chowk, proceeded to Shivaji Chowk, CPR Chowk, Dasara Chowk, and returned to Bindu Chowk. Narendra Dabholkar, the founder of Maharashtra Andhshraddha Nirmulan Samiti, an anti-superstition forum, was murdered in Pune on this day in 2013. In May 2024, Pune's special court convicted two people for Dabholkar's murder. However, activists argue that the masterminds behind the killings remain at large. Krushnat Swati, an activist, said, "The two accused were held guilty. However, state govt has not made efforts to challenge the acquittals of three other accused people. There is no effort on the part of the investigation to reach out to the masterminds of the murders of Dabholkar and Govind Pansare." Activists have called for the law criminalising superstition to be implemented nationwide and for the Maharashtra law, enacted following Dabholkar's death, to be reinforced. The youths committed to following a rationalist path, rejecting superstition, and pledged to continue Dabholkar's work. They also chanted the victory of the Constitution of India during the walk. One participant said, "The Constitution clearly defines that the state, that is, govt machinery, should take steps to create awareness of scientific thoughts; however, it rarely happens, and the responsibility comes upon us to take the thought forward. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now " In Sangli, a delegation of activists met with the district administration to present a petition demanding that the CBI expedite its efforts to challenge the acquittals in the Dabholkar murder case. Additionally, at various locations, Dabholkar's books were sold at half the regular price.
