Govt bans real money games; industry urges PMO to review sport of skill and chance
The Bill threatens the livelihood of numerous people
While sending a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the E-Gamers and Players Welfare Association (EPWA) has urged the Central government to reconsider the blanket ban on real money games (RMG) and establish a legal framework by distinguishing between games of skill and chance.
Even as the Lok Sabha passed a Bill banning RMGs, the industry association requested the government to involve gaming professionals, legal experts and stakeholders in shaping future policies. It urged that the Bill include provisions to protect player rights, covering data privacy, prevention of online abuse and a safe gaming space for people across backgrounds.
Industry bodies, the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), the E-Gaming Federation (EGF) and the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) expressed that a blanket prohibition on the platforms would ‘strike a death knell’ for the industry.
It would also threaten the livelihoods of gamers and raise concerns about users shifting to illegal offshore platforms.
The association cautioned, “Games like chess, poker, esports and fantasy sports require strategy, focus and skill, not luck. The Supreme Court and several high courts have reaffirmed this legal distinction over decades. Thus, treating all games the same ignores this precedent.”
EPWA said India had over 450 million gamers. A ban would not only affect users, but also take away direct and indirect jobs, including shout-casters, coaches, analysts, designers, streamers, video editors, community managers and developers.
It added, “We are not opposed to regulation. We welcome it. But we urge the government to avoid a one-size-fits-all ban.”
It cited examples of Indian gaming and esports players Moin Ejaz, chess grandmaster Ankit Rajpara, and international masters Rathanvel V S, Tirth Mehta and Vikram ‘Lungi’ Kumar.
The online skill gaming associations have sought the intervention of Home Minister Amit Shah against the proposed Bill seeking to ban all forms of real-money games in India. The online gaming body warned that the Bill could force over 400 companies to shut down and put more than 200,000 jobs at risk.