Latest news with #MihirRale
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Gaming industry gears up to challenge Centre's gaming bill in court
As senior executives from the industry huddle together to chart their next move in a fight for survival, legal luminaries see the law being contested in court on standpoints ranging from constitutional protection to the right to trade, and more. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads In the aftermath of the Lok Sabha passing the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 , senior executives of companies in this space are huddling together and deciding on next steps, which will include approaching the courts against the proposed and lawyers told ET that the legal challenges will look to test the Supreme Court 's stance on skill-based gaming against the proposed per the bill, the definition of online real money gaming looks to lump together skill-based games and chance-based games under a single regulatory net, and this could endanger skill-based operators, which have so far survived legal scrutiny.'The Punjab and Haryana High Court was actually the first to say back in 2017 that fantasy sports should be treated as a game of skill. Since then, the Supreme Court has repeatedly turned down review petitions challenging that view. But the new law has changed the game completely…acting almost like a killswitch for the industry. Plans are being finalised to challenge the bill in court,' a senior executive proposed law, which also seeks to set up a regulator to decide which games can legally operate, risks stripping that protection from fantasy sports, rummy, e-poker, and other skill-led formats offered by companies such as Dream11, Gameskraft, Games 24x7, Pokerbaazi, Rupee, and Winzo Games, people said.'While typically any new statute passed by parliament gets tested on its own merits, in this case, given past protections, especially in the context of games of skill, there could be a degree of overlap that gets tested,' said Mihir Rale, partner, Cyril Amarchand whether real money gaming companies will have constitutional protection, Rale said, 'This appears to be virtually an existential question for the sector. That factor alone demands a degree of care and scrutiny to be applied to its passage and judicial oversight that will likely follow.''The key question is whether this is the only way that public interest can be served and no other measure that preserves businesses or jobs while effectively remedying public harm is possible,' he a letter to home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday, India's leading online gaming industry associations urged his intervention in the government's move to introduce legislation to ban real-money games, warning that it could cripple the sector, cost the exchequer nearly Rs 20,000 crore annually, and drive millions of users to unsafe offshore a joint letter to the home minister, the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), E-Gaming Federation (EGF), and the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) said the bill, which seeks to prohibit all online games with a monetary component, including those based on skill, would 'strike a death knell' for the industry.'While an Act of Parliament can override earlier Supreme Court rulings by changing the definition of gambling, such a law must still survive constitutional scrutiny, and a blanket prohibition is open to being struck down as disproportionate and arbitrary,' Nazneen Ichhaporia, partner, ANB Legal, online gaming industry employs more than 200,000 people, has attracted Rs 25,000 crore in foreign direct investment (FDI), and contributes over Rs 20,000 crore in annual tax revenues, they bill also seeks to curb online real money gaming by declaring any advertisement or promotion of such games as an offence, while also banning the facilitation of any transaction or authorisation of funds by banks or financial institutions for such a central legislation, the government has moved away from fragmented state regulations on gambling and betting – by looking to ban real money games in one fell swoop.'Gaming is a state subject under the Constitution, and there could be an argument that prohibiting an entire sector that has been in existence for years and contributes revenue is a violation of Article 19(1)(g) (which accords the right to trade). However, the Union government seems to have relied on…its power to regulate the internet and interstate commerce. We will certainly see this being debated in the courts on constitutional grounds,' said Aprajita Rana, partner at corporate law firm AZB & Partners.
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Online gaming companies prepare for legal battle against new bill
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills In the aftermath of the Lok Sabha passing the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 , senior executives of companies in this space are huddling together and deciding on next steps, which will include approaching the courts against the proposed and lawyers told ET that the legal challenges will look to test the Supreme Court 's stance on skill-based gaming against the proposed per the bill, the definition of online real money gaming looks to lump together skill-based games and chance-based games under a single regulatory net, and this could endanger skill-based operators, which have so far survived legal scrutiny.'The Punjab and Haryana High Court was actually the first to say back in 2017 that fantasy sports should be treated as a game of skill. Since then, the Supreme Court has repeatedly turned down review petitions challenging that view. But the new law has changed the game completely…acting almost like a killswitch for the industry. Plans are being finalised to challenge the bill in court,' a senior executive proposed law, which also seeks to set up a regulator to decide which games can legally operate, risks stripping that protection from fantasy sports, rummy, e-poker, and other skill-led formats offered by companies such as Dream11, Gameskraft, Games 24x7, Pokerbaazi, Rupee, and Winzo Games, people said.'While typically any new statute passed by parliament gets tested on its own merits, in this case, given past protections, especially in the context of games of skill, there could be a degree of overlap that gets tested,' said Mihir Rale, partner, Cyril Amarchand whether real money gaming companies will have constitutional protection, Rale said, 'This appears to be virtually an existential question for the sector. That factor alone demands a degree of care and scrutiny to be applied to its passage and judicial oversight that will likely follow.''The key question is whether this is the only way that public interest can be served and no other measure that preserves businesses or jobs while effectively remedying public harm is possible,' he a letter to home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday, India's leading online gaming industry associations urged his intervention in the government's move to introduce legislation to ban real-money games, warning that it could cripple the sector, cost the exchequer nearly Rs 20,000 crore annually, and drive millions of users to unsafe offshore a joint letter to the home minister, the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), E-Gaming Federation (EGF), and the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) said the bill, which seeks to prohibit all online games with a monetary component, including those based on skill, would 'strike a death knell' for the industry.'While an Act of Parliament can override earlier Supreme Court rulings by changing the definition of gambling, such a law must still survive constitutional scrutiny, and a blanket prohibition is open to being struck down as disproportionate and arbitrary,' Nazneen Ichhaporia, partner, ANB Legal, online gaming industry employs more than 200,000 people, has attracted Rs 25,000 crore in foreign direct investment (FDI), and contributes over Rs 20,000 crore in annual tax revenues, they bill also seeks to curb online real money gaming by declaring any advertisement or promotion of such games as an offence, while also banning the facilitation of any transaction or authorisation of funds by banks or financial institutions for such a central legislation, the government has moved away from fragmented state regulations on gambling and betting – by looking to ban real money games in one fell swoop.'Gaming is a state subject under the Constitution, and there could be an argument that prohibiting an entire sector that has been in existence for years and contributes revenue is a violation of Article 19(1)(g) (which accords the right to trade). However, the Union government seems to have relied on…its power to regulate the internet and interstate commerce. We will certainly see this being debated in the courts on constitutional grounds,' said Aprajita Rana, partner at corporate law firm AZB & Partners.
Mint
09-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Former Disney India legal head Mihir Rale joins Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas
Mumbai: Top-tier law firm Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (CAM) has appointed Mihir Rale as partner and co-head of its newly consolidated Digital+ practice. Rale, who will be based in the firm's Mumbai office, was most recently the general counsel at Star and Disney India, where he spent 15 years overseeing legal strategy, regulatory policy, competition issues, and intellectual property across the entertainment and digital ecosystem. At CAM, Rale will co-lead the Digital+ vertical with Arun Prabhu. The aim is to provide holistic, cross-disciplinary legal advice to Indian and global clients operating in sectors such as big tech, OTT, e-commerce, SaaS, AI, gaming, drones, quantum computing, health tech and edtech, the company said in a statement. The team comprises 30 lawyers and seven specialist partners across Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru. 'Digital businesses today play a vital role in India's economic growth and social development. Mihir's joining enhances our ability to address the complex needs of this space,' said Cyril Shroff, managing partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. 'Our newly announced Digital+ practice marks the consolidation of various practice groups and aims to provide specialised services to this diverse and emerging sector.' The Digital+ practice consolidates CAM's strengths across policy, transactions, compliance, product development, and dispute resolution, providing 'end-to-end' support—from market entry and regulatory strategy to governance and strategic investments. Rale brings over 23 years of legal experience, spanning mergers and acquisitions, compliance, and governance, particularly in sectors at the intersection of technology, media, and telecom (TMT). An alumnus of ILS Law College, Pune, he has also held leadership roles in multiple industry forums, including as co-chair of the FICCI IPR Committee and the CII Digital Media Committee, and as a member of the FICCI Media & Entertainment Committee and CII National Regulatory Committee. CAM has over 1,200 lawyers and 220 partners across 10 locations, including Singapore and Abu Dhabi, and is consistently ranked among India's top legal firms by global and regional publications. The firm advises a wide spectrum of clients, from large enterprises and funds to emerging startups and regulatory bodies.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas appoints former Disney executive Mihir Rale as Partner, Co-Head of Digital/ TMT
Mihir Rale, former Disney and Star India General Counsel, has joined Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas as a Partner and Co-Head of the Digital | TMT practice. Based in Mumbai, he brings over two decades of expertise in technology, data, and media. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Former Disney and Star India General Counsel Mihir Rale has joined Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas as a Partner (Co-Head – Digital | TMT).Based in the firm's Mumbai office, Mihir brings with him over two decades of legal and regulatory expertise spanning technology, data, telecommunications, and media sectors. His appointment marks a significant addition to the firm's Digital+ Practice, which is focused on delivering strategic legal solutions to clients operating in the fast-evolving digital has over 23 years of extensive experience in mergers & acquisitions, legal strategy, corporate governance, regulatory and policy matters, and 2024, he served as General Counsel for Star and Disney India , completing a remarkable 15-year tenure. He has played a pivotal role in addressing industry challenges at the intersection of technology, regulation, competition, and intellectual property A graduate of ILS Law College, Pune (2002), Mihir has held significant positions including Co-chair of the FICCI IPR Committee, Co-chair of the CII Digital Media Committee, and has been an active member of the FICCI M&E Committee as well as the CII National Regulatory Digital+ Practice provides business-focused, and strategic legal counsel on policy, emerging regulations, transactions, disputes, and governance. The practice supports Indian and global digital businesses across sectors such as Big Tech, Media & Entertainment, E-commerce, Gaming, Telecom, SaaS, IT/ITeS, AI, EdTech, HealthTech, RegTech, Drones, Quantum Computing, and other emerging collaborates with the firm's various practice areas to offer end-to-end legal solutions, from market entry and compliance to product development, regulatory engagement, intellectual property protection, inorganic growth, and strategic by Co-Heads Mihir Rale and Arun Prabhu, the Digital+ Practice comprises five additional specialist partners and a 30-member team of lawyers across offices in Mumbai, Delhi, and Mihir to the firm, Cyril Shroff, Managing Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, stated: 'Digital businesses today play a vital role in India's economic growth and social development. Our newly announced Digital+ practice marks the consolidation of various practice groups and aims to provide specialised services to this diverse and emerging sector. Mihir's joining will enhance our capabilities in our growing digital+ practice as he brings with him deep expertise and legal acumen. I warmly welcome him on board and look forward to working with him.'Commenting on his new role, Mihir Rale, Partner (Co-Head – Digital | TMT), Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, said: "I look forward to partnering with Mr. Shroff, Arun, and the immensely talented team at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas to help shape the digital transformation of our world – across business, legal, and allied spheres. The Digital+ Practice Group aims to inspire the legal community, setting new benchmarks in thought leadership and unlocking business potential in an ever evolving landscape.'Arun Prabhu, Partner (Co-Head – Digital | TMT), Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, added: 'The addition of Mihir to our leading Pan India practice, is transformative, and will allow us to offer forward looking, business centric, holistic solutions, to a wider range of enterprises and platforms, and address their needs in a rapidly evolving regulatory environment. I look forward to working with Mihir to expand the digital+ practice and address the growing needs of Digital India.'
