Foreign Gambling Operators Welcome Steps towards Regulation of Indian Online Gaming Space
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Foreign Gambling Operators Welcome Steps towards Regulation of Indian Online Gaming Space. I&B Ministry Issues Advisory on G gambling advertising.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued an advisory to avoid advertising platforms for online betting and gambling. The development came after a meeting between the I&B Ministry, the Ministries of Consumer Affairs and Electronics & IT, and several organizations. Foreign operators of online casino for real money and betting platforms welcome the introduction of regulation over the sector. In December 2020, an advert was issued to TV channels directing them to adhere to ASCI guidelines when advertising online gaming. It also contained restrictions on showing minors and depicting online games as an opportunity for alternative income or success.
The introduction of the Online Gaming (Regulation) Bill, 2022, at the Lok Sabha on April 1 this year is a good step in the right direction. Online gaming regulation is important for the implementation of responsible gaming mechanisms and processes, protection of player rights, mental health and financial status, prevention of gambling by minors, fairness of conduct and social responsibility of operators, taxation revenues and anti-money laundering mechanisms. The bill has some pitfalls, mainly in its lack of focus on gamer protection and bracketing Andar Bahar game titles with casual games containing some real money features.
