Online Games addiction

Context:

Recently, the Government of India implemented several measures to create a safe, accountable, and trusted digital environment, especially to protect children from the potential harm of online gaming.

Relevance:
GS02 (Government policies and interventions)

Dimensions of the Article:

Online gaming ecosystem in India
Concerns in Online Gaming in India
About the Government Initiatives
Conclusion

Online gaming ecosystem in India:

Online gaming is predominantly a homegrown start-up with an estimated growth of 27% CAGR.
According to a report published by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), India’s mobile gaming sector is expected to grow to USD 5 billion by 2025.
Legal Jurisdiction: The exclusive power to legislate on gaming, betting, and gambling resides with the state legislature.
- Public Gambling Act, 1867: Currently, it is only a central law that governs gambling in all its forms.
- Being an old law, it is argued that it is ill-equipped to handle the challenges of digital casinos, online gambling, and gaming.
- Recently, the Finance Ministry of India announced a 28% Goods and Services Tax (GST) on online money gaming, casinos, and horse racing.

Concerns in Online Gaming in India:

Lack of adequate regulation: The absence of a proper regulatory framework has paved the way for offshore illegal markets to thrive, creating a substantial loss to the exchequer.
Financial Risks: The uncertainty involved in the gaming industry creates a financial crisis amongst the vulnerable populations who indulge in it. They lose a huge amount of their hard-earned money, which otherwise would’ve been spent on the family.
Money-laundering: Online gaming platforms can be used for players to deposit large amounts of cash into online accounts and then withdraw the money in a legitimate form.
Addiction: It creates addiction amongst all those who actively participate in it, leading to potential compulsive behaviour, neglect of responsibilities, and negative impacts on mental health.
Cyber-attacks: The online websites can extract sensitive personal and financial information of the players, violating the data protection rules and infringing upon the privacy of the users.

About the Government Initiatives:

IT Rules, 2021: Ensuring Accountability

The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), address socio-economic concerns related to online gaming. These rules:
- Require intermediaries (including social media platforms) to avoid hosting or publishing harmful content, particularly content targeting children or promoting gambling.
- Mandate quick removal of unlawful or harmful information based on grievances.
- Aim to create an accountable system for online platforms.

Education Ministry’s Advisory for Parents and Teachers

The Ministry of Education released advisories emphasising the risks of gaming addiction, recognised as a “gaming disorder.”
- It mandated parents and teachers to set self-limits for children and to reduce excessive screen time.
- These advisories encourage wider circulation to ensure every stakeholder understands their role in addressing gaming-related issues.

Regulating Advertisements in Gaming

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) held that no gaming advertisement features individuals under 18 years of age.
The ministry made it compulsory for the platforms to display disclaimers on financial risks and addiction potential in both text and audio/video formats.
It even prohibited the portrayal of gaming as an employment alternative or as a marker of success.

Another major step was that it directed media and social platforms to avoid advertisements for online betting platforms or their surrogate promotions.

Combating cybercrimes with I4C and Reporting Mechanisms

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has strengthened cyber-crime frameworks through initiatives like:
- The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), which provides a systematic structure for tackling cybercrime, including crimes linked to children and gaming.
- Launching the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in), where citizens can report all types of cyber-related issues, with special mechanisms for crimes involving women, children, and financial frauds.
- Operationalising a toll-free helpline, 1930, to assist individuals in reporting and addressing cyber complaints effectively.

Conclusion:

The rise in the gaming industry has also contributed to the economic growth. However, it is accompanied by several other issues related to mental wellbeing and financial stability. The measures intended by the government ensure to address the gaming addiction problem in a multidimensional way. Perhaps it is also important that the enforcing agencies must proactively implement the action plan to foster a safe and accountable digital space.