Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday defended the Centre’s move to ban online real money games, warning that the problems surrounding such games had grown into a 'social menace' and that it risked spiralling out of control if left unchecked.
“This problem is bigger than the drugs menace, and it was growing very rapidly,” Vaishnaw said in an exclusive interview with Moneycontrol on the Promotion and the Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025.
The bill, which prohibits all kinds of online money games, was passed in the Rajya Sabha on August 21, and will become a law after it receives the President's assent.
Also read: Online Gaming Bill: Dream11 parent firm, Gameskraft, Zupee begin suspending its RMG offerings
“We have seen so many cases where entire families were affected, where students even resorted to crime because of debts accumulated on these platforms. If we hadn’t acted now, it would have become unmanageable," Vaishnaw said.
He stressed that the government had to prioritise “middle-income families who are being devastated” over industry concerns.
During the interview, the minister pointed out that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had formally recognised gaming disorder as a disease under its International Classification of Diseases.
Apart from the prohibition on online money games, the government, through the bill, will also promote eSports and online social games. The government considers these non-addictive and beneficial.
“We are improving the gaming ecosystem in ways that are good for society, esports and social games fall in that category,” Vaishnaw said.
Also read: What Centre's new online gaming bill means for real-money gaming platforms
It is not just that online money gaming companies who find themselves in the crosshairs of the government. The legislation also brings advertisers, sponsors, and payment intermediaries into its scope.
The bill says that running ads or marketing money games can draw up to two years in prison or fines of Rs 50 lakh.
The proposed law will also see the establishment of an online gaming authority, whose functions will include classifying games, handling consumer grievances and so on.
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