Lok Sabha Question No. 2 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-02
Subject: Addiction to Online Gaming
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Vijay Baghel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2

TO BE ANSWERED ON:  02.02.2022

## ADDICTION TO ONLINE GAMING

## 2.     SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL:

Will the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology be pleased to state:

(a)   whether   the   youth   of   the   country   are   getting  addicted   to   online   gaming   apps   mainly   due   to   the advertisements  to  earn  crores  of  rupees  by  playing  such games  at  home;

(b)  if  so,  the  details  thereof;

(c) whether various cases  in  this  regard  are  being registered  in  various  police  stations  daily  and  if  so,  the details  thereof;

- (d)  the  details  of  the  rules  under  which  these  gaming apps  have  been  sanctioned  by  the  Government;

(e) whether any  initiative  is  being  taken  by  the Government  in  this  direction  in  view  of  the  future  of  the youth;  and

(f)  if  so,  the  details  thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR)

(a) and (b):The rapid expansion of Internet in India has also seen many different types of intermediaries in both the  existing  and  the  newly  emerging  categories.    Online  gaming  is  one  of  the  new  emerging  category  of intermediaries that is also rapidly expanding all around the world.

Government is aware of the possible risks  and  challenges  including  that  of  user  harms  associated  with  online games and therefore also about the advertisements of these online games. This Ministry has received grievances regarding effects of online games.

(c):  As  per  the  information  provided  by  National  Crime  Records  Bureau,  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs,  the  total number  of  cases  registered  under  Gambling  Act  (Online  Gambling)  (involving  communication  devices  as medium/target) for Cyber Crimes are 20, 22 and 63 for the year 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively. The latest published report is for the year 2020.

(d):  Online gaming platforms are intermediaries and they have to follow the due diligence as prescribed in the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 and the Rules thereunder.

State Governments under List II of the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution have enacted their laws to deal with betting and gambling within their jurisdictions. Some States have recently legislated for online gaming also.

MeitY regulate all the intermediaries as per the IT Act and the Rules therein and does not have any role in the sanction or licencing of online gaming platforms currently.

(e) and  (f):  The  Ministry  of  Information  and  Broadcasting  had  issued  an  advisory  to  all  private  satellite  TV channels  stating  that  no  advertisement  should  present  online  gaming  for  real  money  winnings  as  an  income opportunity or an alternative employment option. According to the advisory, private television channels will have to  follow  the  guidelines  issued  by  the  Advertising  Standards  Council  of  India  (ASCI)  which  is  available  at https://mib.gov.in/sites/default/files/Advisory.pdf.

Further,  keeping  with  the  MeitY's  objective  and  goals    to  ensure  an  Open,  Safe  &  Trusted  and  Accountable Internet, Government has notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 under the IT Act, 2000. The said Rules provide for removal of any information/ application violative of any extant law, as and when notified by an appropriate government or its authorized agency.

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