Indian government to regulate online gaming, ban betting and addiction

The proposed framework aims to ban games involving betting.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, Skill Development, Electronics, and Technology, announced on June 12 that the Indian government is working on a framework to regulate online gaming in the country. The proposed framework aims to ban games involving betting, those that are harmful to users, and those that promote addiction.

Chandrasekhar stated, "For the first time, we have prepared a framework regarding online gaming, in that we will not allow three types of games in the country. Games that involve betting or can be harmful to the user and that involve a factor of addiction will be banned in the country."

In addition to addressing online gaming, the minister also emphasized the government's intention to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) technology to ensure it does not harm "digital citizens." Chandrasekhar highlighted the government's approach to AI regulation, stating, "Our approach towards AI regulation is very simple. We will regulate AI as we regulate Web 3 or any emerging technologies to ensure they do not harm digital citizens."

He further mentioned that the government aims to protect digital citizens through AI technology and emphasized that companies operating in India must prioritize mitigating user harm.

Regarding concerns about potential job loss due to disruptive technologies, Chandrasekhar expressed that AI, in its current form, does not pose a significant threat to jobs. He explained that AI is primarily task-oriented and lacks the sophistication to handle situations requiring reasoning and logic, which are typically necessary in jobs. He stated, "While AI is disruptive, we do not see in the next few years the so-called threat of replacing jobs."

India, known for its robust IT industry and vast data sets, holds immense potential for AI-based utilities. Although AI technologies are still in the early stages of development, many countries are adopting them for improved service delivery and reduced human intervention. However, concerns about job displacement persist.