Lok Sabha Question No. 2305 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-16
Subject: Gambling in Online Games
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: A. Ganeshamurthi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2305

TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2022

## GAMBLING IN ONLINE GAMES

## 2305. SHRI A. GANESHAMURTHI:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  manyyoungsters  are  committing  suicide,  after  losing  money,due  to gambling in online games;
- (b) if  so,  whether the Government would bring amodel legislation to ban online games in the country,especially when some States have already taken theinitiative;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether steps would also be taken by theGovernment to ban advertisements promoting onlinegames in TV and social media;
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the details ofthe efforts made to discourage youths from becomingaddicted to online games resulting in loss of money andproductivity?

## ANSWER

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

(a) : The rapid expansion of Internet in India has also seen many different types of intermediaries and other online service providers in both the existing and the newly emerging categories. Online gaming and online gambling are the new emerging categories of online services that are 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 gambling. This Ministry has received grievances regarding ill-effects of online games and gambling. 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  (IT Rules, 2021) under the IT Act, 2000.

(b) and (c):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. MeitY regulates all the intermediaries as per the IT Act and the Rules therein and does not have any role in the banning of online gaming platforms currently.

All forms of gambling and betting come under the purview of State Governmentsand they have enacted their laws to  deal  with  the  same  within  their  jurisdictionsunder  List-II  of  the  Seventh  Schedule  of  the  Indian  Constitution. Some States have recently legislated for online gambling also.

MeitY  also  blocks  access  to  information  including  websites  and  apps  as  and  when  requests  are  received  from designated Nodal Officers of the Ministries/States on specified grounds of section  69A  of  the  IT  Actand in blocking  some  for  those  attracting  69Aand  following  the  due  process  specified  in  the  Information  Technology

(Procedure  and  Safeguards  for  Blocking  for  Access of  Information  by  Public)  Rules,  2009,  notified  under section  69A.

- (d) and  (e):  The  Ministry  of  Information  and  Broadcasting  has  issued  an  advisory  to  all  private  satellite  TV channels on 'Advertisements on Online Games, Fantasy Sports, etc.'. According to the advisory, 'all broadcasters are advised that the Guidelines issued by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) are complied with and the  advertisements  broadcast  on  television  will  adhere  to  the  aforementioned  Guidelines  of  ASCI.' The  ASCI guidelines are  available at https://mib.gov.in/sites/default/files/Advisory.pdf.

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