NEW DELHI:
India should set up a regulator to classify online games based on skill or chance, put in place rules to block banned formats and take a stricter stance on online gambling , a government committee said in a Reuters report.
The much-awaited report is seen as shaping the future of the mobile game industry in India, which is estimated to reach $5 billion by 2025, from $1.5 billion currently.
Here are some highlights of the panel’s proposed regulatory framework recommendation in their draft report:
* The government should consider enacting a separate law to regulate online gaming as a “permanent measure”. As a “temporary measure”, until such a new law is enacted, the industry can be regulated through rules drawn up under existing IT law.
* The Ministry of IT will act as the central ministry for online games, excluding eSports and games of chance.
* Any new regulatory framework should apply to both free and real money games of skill, including e-sports, online fantasy sports, card games and other casual games that may cause a significant impact. The rules will apply to both game companies in India and companies that operate outside but target Indian users.
* Establishment of a regulatory body for the online game industry that will, among other things, determine what qualifies as a game of skill and certify various game formats.
* Includes “Code of Ethics” provisions for game publishers; There is thorough scrutiny of online gaming platforms, including robust troubleshooting mechanisms and your customer mandates.
* Any online gaming platform that offers real money online games to users must have a legal entity established by law. Provides containment powers to the government to deal with unregistered online gaming platforms.
* There is a three-tier dispute resolution mechanism, consisting of the game platform, the organizations that govern the game platform itself, and a supervisory committee led by an appropriate ministry.
