India plans to ban online games played with money, citing addiction risks
Citing psychological and financial harm it says can be caused by such games, the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025 says that no person 'shall offer, aid, abet, induce or otherwise indulge or engage in' the offering of online money games and such services.
The 13-page bill, which has not yet been made public but has been reviewed by Reuters, describes an online money game as one played by a user by depositing money in expectation of winning monetary and other enrichment.
The Indian market for such gaming is set to be worth US$3.6 billion by 2029, venture capital firm Lumikai says.
Endorsements by top Indian cricketers and other marketing efforts have boosted the appeal and investor interest of real money gaming apps such as the popular fantasy cricket games operated by startups Dream11 and Mobile Premier League (MPL).
Dream11 commands a valuation of US$8 billion while Mobile Premier League is valued at US$2.5 billion, PitchBook data shows. The Indian government has long been concerned about how such games are addictive.
BT in your inbox
Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.
Sign Up
Sign Up
India's IT ministry, which has drafted the bill, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. MPL and Dream11 declined to comment.
In fantasy cricket games on Dream11, users create their teams by paying as little as eight rupees (12 Singapore cents), with a total prize pool of 1.2 million Indian rupees. The apps become more popular during the Indian Premier League season, one of the world's most popular cricket tournaments.
The bill states that anyone who offers such money games could face a jail term of up to three years and a fine.
'Such games often use manipulative design features, addictive algorithms ... while promoting compulsive behaviour leading to financial ruin,' the bill said. REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
15 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Russia has 'special mechanisms' to supply oil to India, embassy official says
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox NEW DELHI - Russia will continue supplying oil to India and the country's President Vladimir Putin will meet India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi by the end of year, a Russian embassy official in India said on Wednesday. Russia has a "very, very special mechanism" to continue oil supplies to India, Roman Babushkin, the charge d'affaires at the Russian embassy in India, told reporters at a press briefing, adding that India's crude oil imports from Russia will remain at the same level. No dates had been finalised for the Putin-Modi meeting yet, he said. The U.S. is set to impose an additional 25% tariff on Indian exports on August 28, citing their imports of Russian oil, which expanded after Western nations sanction Russian supply after its invasion of Ukraine. However, the U.S. has stopped short of imposing similar tariffs on China over its purchases of Russian oil. Last month, the European Union sanctioned Russian-backed Indian refinery Nayara Energy, leading the refiner to cut back processing and companies to curtail their trading with them. Trade between Indian and Russia was expected to grow 10% annually, Evgeniy Griva, Deputy Trade Representative of Russia to India said at the briefing. REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Grab users in Singapore shocked by fares of over $1,000 due to display glitch
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Several social media users shared screenshots of the drastic hike in Grab fares. SINGAPORE – Some Grab customers in Singapore were taken aback on Aug 20 after the ride-hailing mobile app briefly displayed fares that exceeded $1,000 due to a glitch. The unusually high fares , even for short trips within the country, were visible for about 20 minutes from around noon . In response to queries, a Grab spokesperson said the price spike was the result of a temporary display error. 'We encountered a temporary system issue that led to abnormally high prices being wrongly displayed in our app,' the company said in a statement. 'The issue has been resolved, and the app is now functioning as usual. We deeply regret the inconvenience caused.' Bloomberg reported that users in neighbouring Malaysia also experienced similar pricing anomalies. Several users took to social media to share screenshots of the drastic hike in fares. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Emergency broadcast system to alert S'pore public of disasters on their mobile phones: Edwin Tong Singapore New annual course will groom future leaders of Singapore's Chinese community Singapore Singapore indie cinema The Projector owes over $1.2m to creditors Life Five things to do at Singapore Night Festival – from kampung chilling to spotting luminous crabs Asia Calls to cut ties: Malaysia flag furore tests PH-BN relations Singapore Proposals sought to develop Changi East Urban District next to T5 Business New CDC job-matching drive may bring overlooked front-line roles closer to applicants: Experts Among them was Facebook user Tan Kwee Yong, who wrote: 'I never knew (travelling) from my Military Camp to another Military Camp (would) cost a quarter of my pay.' His fare was listed as $1,511.80. In another screenshot, the cost of a ride from Tampines to Kinex mall in Katong was listed as $1,012. One user commented: 'I wonder if anyone checked the fare or simply clicked on book.' Grab's system is designed such that bookings with unusually high fares would not have typically gone through. However, the company is in the midst of doing checks and those who were charged for the high fares would be compensated. Grab, which is backed by US-based Uber Technologies, is the dominant ride-hailing operator in Singapore, as well as other markets in region including Malaysia and Thailand. Uber exited South-east Asia in 2018, transferring its operations to Grab in exchange for a stake in the company. Grab now faces stiff competition from Indonesia's GoTo Group and several smaller rivals in the region.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Wary US diners shun restaurants, raising prospect of boost for supermarkets, food-delivery firms
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Visits to grocery stores have steadily outpaced those to restaurants and bars in the US. WASHINGTON – Cash-conscious consumers in the United States choosing to eat in rather than dine out have raised the prospect of an upturn in earnings for supermarkets and food delivery firms, according to data, analysts and company executives. US President Donald Trump's tariff policies have added to economic uncertainty, increased the likelihood of stubborn inflation and made consumers question whether restaurants are worth the expense. 'I eat much more at home because first of all eating out is way more expensive lately, and quality is not always guaranteed,' Ms Marilena Graziano, a Florence-based teacher, told Reuters. Dutch retailer Ahold Delhaize, owner of the Food Lion and Giant stores in the United States, said earlier in August that it was increasing its offers tailored to low-cost eating in. 'We have solutions for customers to have a very affordable meal of US$2.50 (S$3.20) per person at home with the family,' Ahold's chief executive Frans Muller said in an interview in August . 'We have increased a lot of that proposition in our stores.' The shift hints at a revival of the boom in eating at home during the Covid-19 pandemic when people could not go out. Home delivery companies such as Just made record sales, although they struggled once lockdown restrictions were lifted. Figures from Rabobank and Eurostat show that food retail sales volumes adjusted for inflation in supermarkets, hypermarkets and similar stores grew by 1.5 per cent in the Eurozone between January and May. That compares with 0.1 per cent growth over the same period in 2024 . For food and beverage services, such as restaurants and bars, the metric fell by 0.3 per cent. Growth in 2024 was flat at 0 per cent. Restaurants lag The inflation-adjusted figures suggest that sales at supermarkets are recovering faster than at restaurants, especially for routine weekday meals, Rabobank's consumer foods sector analyst Maria Castroviejo told Reuters. Ms Castroviejo cited the rising popularity of grab-and-go meals, salads, wraps, and sandwiches. 'This offer has increased and improved a lot and we know that this is taking away some demands from certain foodservice players,' she said. Delivery Hero, which owns Glovo and Foodpanda, said that consumers go out less during times of economic hardship, but will order in as a cheaper alternative. A survey of more than 5,000 US adults commissioned by Hellofresh, a German meal-kit maker that makes most of its revenue in North America, showed 93 per cent of them expect to cook as much as in 2024 or more in 2026 . Among those who plan to cook more at home in 2026 , more than three-quarters say the economy is a factor. Visits to grocery stores have steadily outpaced those to restaurants and bars in the US, data from foot traffic tracking firm showed. The data showed visits to grocery stores grew by 1.3 per cent year-on-year in June, while they fell 0.4 per cent in the same months for restaurants. Ms Jenny Russmann, who works for an international organisation in Vienna, is among those using supermarkets more. 'I switched to eating at home a bit over a month ago due to wanting to just be healthier and especially also costs,' she said. In Milan, Ms Chiara Schiavoni, employed at the regional administration, said she prefers to eat at home as prices rise and restaurants' portions shrink in Italy's financial capital. 'I get €7 (S$10.50) food vouchers at work and I can't even buy a sandwich, which costs around €9 in restaurants around my office,' she said. 'On the other hand, I can use them in supermarkets where all in all it's more convenient.' REUTERS
