From The Hindu, August 20, 1925: The Emigration Standing Committee
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Hindustan Times
35 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Online gaming bill gets LS approval within 7 minutes
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed legislation completely prohibiting online money gaming in India, seven minutes after the Union minister for electronics and information technology (Meity) introduced the bill. Online gaming bill gets LS approval within 7 minutes Cleared by the Union cabinet only a day earlier, the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 cleared its first legislative hurdle amid criticism from people in the gaming industry, who cited thousands of crores in revenues and investments involving the sector. The government, however, believes the benefits of banning online money games outweighs the costs, a senior government official requesting anonymity said. In Lok Sabha, where the bill sailed through amid opposition parliamentarian's protests, minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the legislation was necessary to tackle a segment of gaming that is of significant concern. 'Over the last 11 years, digital technology has expanded on a massive scale, giving India a new identity. One sector closely tied to this growth is online gaming, which has three key segments,' Vaishnaw told Parliament. 'The first is e-sports, an emerging field that promotes strategic thinking, teamwork, and cultural exchange. The second is online social games like solitaire, chess, and sudoku that many of us have played. The third, however, is online money games — a segment that has become a serious concern for society today.' The law bans all online money games, from fantasy sports to poker, rummy and online lotteries. Facilitators face up to three years imprisonment, fines of ₹1 crore, or both. Advertising such platforms carries penalties of two years imprisonment and fines up to ₹50 lakh. Government estimates suggest 450 million Indians play online money games, with approximately ₹20,000 crore lost annually. The industry generates ₹31,000 crore in annual revenues, has attracted ₹25,000 crore in foreign investment since June 2022, and supports around 400 startups, according to the letter floated by the industry body to Amit Shah. 'Many families suffer because people in their families get addicted to online money games, and life-long savings are lost to these money games,' Vaishnaw said. The senior government official cited above added the bill was kept under wraps as it was considered too sensitive to publicise. Online gaming encompasses a broad spectrum, from casual mobile games to money-based platforms. Several states have targeted the latter, citing constitutional authority to regulate gambling. However, this approach has created legal confusion over skill versus chance games, with courts delivering conflicting rulings on platforms like rummy and fantasy cricket. At present, India has no federal regulation on online gaming. A patchwork of laws exists, with states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh banning online money gaming outright, whilst Sikkim and Nagaland require licensing for operators. Industry bodies were not consulted before Tuesday's Cabinet approval, HT has learnt, though the government had held multiple rounds of conversations with stakeholders over the last three to four years. The All India Gaming Federation, E-Gaming Federation, and Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports have written to Home Minister Amit Shah calling the ban a 'death knell' for the industry. The organisations said the sector contributes over ₹20,000 crore in annual taxes and employs more than 200,000 people, with projections to double by 2028. The government official cited above added that there was recognition the industry will be affected but said companies should look at other ways to turn their platforms towards recreational games. The bill still has a long way to go before being fully operational – it needs to next be approved by the Rajya Sabha, before rules are framed for its implementation. IT secretary S Krishnan told HT the government would hold consultations with stakeholders before drafting implementation rules. 'All ministries supported the bill. The finance ministry raised concerns over payment transactions, and the Financial Intelligence Unit will keep a close watch on them,' he added. Critics argued the ban abandons a more measured regulatory approach and would benefit offshore operators while harming compliant domestic companies. The legislation effectively scraps proposed amendments to IT Rules 2023 that would have created a system where self-regulatory bodies vetted online real-money games and provided consumer complaint channels. 'The IT Rules amendment was a proportionate framework that adequately addressed consumer welfare concerns and would have created a way to signal to consumers which platforms can be trusted and which cannot. Most importantly, it gave them an opportunity for recourse,' said Megha Bal, director at Esya Centre, a tech policy think tank. 'The government has, in one fell swoop, wiped out companies that were onshore and willing to comply with a regulatory framework,' Bal added. The legislation comes amid an Enforcement Directorate investigation into celebrities promoting betting platforms, with the agency questioning film stars, cricketers and influencers over money laundering concerns. The bill, however, promotes e-Sports as legitimate competition while banning money-based gaming, marking one of the world's strictest regulatory approaches to digital gambling. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla urged MPs to back the bill, calling it a 'good bill,' even as opposition protests disrupted proceedings. 'I request members to return to their seats and discuss the matter. I am ready to allow a debate. Do you not want to debate this issue?' he asked amid the uproar.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Gamers on a losing bet: Lok Sabha passes bill for blanket ban on money gaming
Live Events Panic in industry, among gamers (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel New Delhi: The Lok Sabha passed the online gaming bill a day after the cabinet approved it, as the government fast-tracks it through the Parliament before the current session ends on Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill bans all online games with a monetary aspect, pointing to their toll on society. The contention is that such games lead to suicides due to heavy financial losses, as well as to addiction among children and gaming companies have protested that they were blindsided by the bill's proposal to impose a blanket ban, arguing that this threatens their viability, will lead to mass layoffs and wipe out bill requires Rajya Sabha approval and presidential assent before it becomes law. The Centre plans to present the bill in the Upper House and get it approved before the session ends. Introducing the bill in the Lower House on Wednesday, minister for electronics and IT Ashwani Vaishnaw said the World Health Organization (WHO) has linked online money games to compulsive behaviour, psychological distress, financial hardship and disruption of family life. "They have declared it a new online gaming disorder ," he a recent news report from Karnataka on the suicide of 32 gamers in 31 months, Vaishnaw said online gaming addiction has pushed many Indians into staking their life the odds are stacked against participants, as the games are run on the basis of opaque algorithms, he noted.'The algorithms are such that it can't be deduced who the player is playing against, and you can't win,' the minister agencies have determined that money gaming payment channels are being misused for money laundering and terror financing, said bill has shaken the ₹27,400-crore online money gaming sector, representatives of which have warned of job losses and an impact on government of listed gaming companies slumped and panicked gamers are said to be scrambling to get their money out of online the proposed law, running real money games or facilitating fund transactions is punishable with jail time of up to three years and fines of as much ₹1 crore, or both. The police will implement these IT minister Priyank Kharge posted on X that the bill will have disastrous effects on the industry and jobs, given that gaming startups number more than 2, added that India earns ₹20,000 crore of goods and services tax (GST) and income tax from real money Centre wants to prioritise societal health over the cost to the exchequer, Vaishnaw told have also argued that India's gaming talent pool will be pushed to look overseas for minister, however, pointed out that the bill has chosen to categorise the mobile gaming ecosystem into three distinct parts — real money games, e-sports and social gaming. The first is being banned, while the latter two will be promoted in a systematic manner, he said.
NDTV
7 hours ago
- NDTV
"Opportunity To Dream Big": Raghav Chadha Calls For Free Subscription Of Advanced AI Tools
New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha on Wednesday demanded the government to provide free subscription of advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and others to every Indian in the Parliament session. The AAP leader highlighted the potential of emerging technologies in Rajya Sabha, saying, "Indians must be prepared for 2030 and hence must be given free subscriptions to generative AI tools. AI is not a technology but an opportunity to dream big and accomplish those dreams. AI will help boost India's productivity and save precious time." Chadha stressed that access to such tools could revolutionise the way Indians work, study and live. He further emphasised that the AI can unlock India's true potential for farmers to students to old age people. The MP argued that AI tools should not remain limited to the privileged few but be made universally accessible. He also cited examples of nations like UAE, Singapore and China, which have already started providing their citizens with free access to advanced AI tools. "AI is beneficial for our farmers, students, businessmen and elderly," the AAP leader further added. He insisted that India must follow this global trend to remain competitive and forward-looking. He underlined that technology could support farmers in crop management, help students in education, assist businesses in expansion, and aid elderly citizens in their daily needs. "Due to their high cost, 140 crore Indians are not able to take advantage of the prospects that AI products offer. AI is expected to generate a $15 trillion industry by 2030," the AAP leader said. Meanwhile, Lok Sabha today passed The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, aiming to promote e-sports and online social games, while outlawing online money gaming. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha earlier Bill was brought in to encourage e-sports and online social games while prohibiting harmful online money gaming services, advertisements, and financial transactions related to them. The Bill seeks to completely ban on offering, operating, or facilitating online money games, irrespective of whether based on skill, chance, or both. "When it comes to society, middle-class people, or a segment of industry. When it comes to society and the government revenue, our prime minister has always chosen the society. Never have we compromised on the interest of the society," Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said, requesting the House, particularly the Opposition members, to unanimously pass the Bill in the Lok Sabha. Opposition members continued raising their slogans, as the Bill was passed by voice vote.
