Online gaming is increasing rapidly in India and too many frauds and scams are also getting increase because of this. So, govt have introduced some new rules for online gaming.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in India has recently introduced rules to regulate the online gaming industry. The Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules, 2021 have been amended in the Information Technology Act, 2000 to keep a check on the growing industry and rein in apps and platforms offering online gaming services. The central government has also clarified the definition of online gaming. Which refers to games offered on the internet and accessible through a computer resource or an intermediary.
Creation of Self-Regulatory Bodies for Online Gaming
The Ministry has notified the creation of online gaming self-regulatory bodies (SROs) to oversee online gaming platforms. The government has initially designated three SROs, which will be responsible for determining whether an online gaming platform can continue operations or not, depending on whether it involves real money. The permissible online games, as defined by Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, are those that do not involve wagering, or user harm in their content, and do not create any addictive consequences for children.
Role of Self-Regulatory Bodies
The SROs will comprise industry experts, veteran gamers, educationists, psychologists, communication experts, and other stakeholders, and not the government. They will decide which online real money games can be deemed permissible based on factors such as whether they involve wagering on any outcome and whether the intermediary and online games comply with the rules of the amended IT Act, of 2000.
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Verification of Online Gaming Intermediaries
Online real money games verified by the SROs and online gaming intermediaries will have to display a demonstrable and visible mark of such verification, stating that the online real money game is verified by the online gaming self-regulatory body as a permissible online real money game under these rules. Games involving real money will also need to comply with KYC norms as per the rules.
Number of Self-Regulatory Bodies
As per the rules, the Ministry can designate as many online gaming self-regulatory bodies as it considers necessary for verifying an online real money game as a permissible online real money game under these rules.
Final Words!!
Overall, these new rules for online gaming in India aim to regulate the industry and ensure that online gaming platforms and games do not involve any harmful or addictive consequences for users, especially children.
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