Upper House MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi used Question Hour to bring the issue of online gaming to an oral review. His involvement as a lawyer raised concerns on the intervention’s moral grounds but the MP defended it as legitimate interest in government policy.
Regulation Still an Issue for Online Gaming
Abhishek Manu Singhvi, a Congress MP from West Bengal and spokesperson for the INC, has questioned the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on their stance regarding online gaming. In a two-fold inquiry, he requested details on advertising guidelines for fantasy sports – hugely popular among desi players of all ages – and on the general differentiation between skill and chance games.
Some of his Rajya Sabha peers have objected that moral grounds should prevent the MP from addressing the issue. In fact, as a senior advocate of the Supreme Court, he has recently represented tech companies in a petition against Karnataka’s online gaming ban. Challenging the constitutional validity of the state Police Act of 2021, Singhvi appeared for Gameskraft Technologies before the High Court in Bengaluru.
The All India Gaming Federation and a number of gaming startups argue that there is a big difference between playing casual games, fantasy leagues or online casino India and that a blanket ban is illegal. Singhvi, as a lawyer, insisted that governments and legislators at any level lack the jurisdiction to deny access to games of skill.
Congress has no rules on the admissibility of similar questions, making concerns about conflict of interest formally irrelevant. What’s more, MP Singhvi insists that there is no ethical dilemma either, since he never appeared for fantasy sports companies (only for online operators) and that the motion is legitimate since skill and chance games need to be clearly differentiated once and for all. There needs be a clear indication of which games are legal or not at sites like Pure Win India.
Gaming Industry Experts Warn There’s Much to be Done Yet
Undoubtedly, as someone who has dealt with the issue on a high jurisdiction level, MP Singhvi knows the industry worries first-hand. His insights into online gaming legislation are supported by studies on the efficiency of gaming regulation – done on a national level – compared to exposing the market to offshore operators without due consumer protection.
Just this August, the Madras High Court ruled against a blanket ban on online gaming on the basis of insufficient distinction between games of skill and chance. Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1957 set legal standards and protect many gaming enterprises as legitimate business pursuits.
On the other hand, a clear and well-structured licensing regime can empower States to set gaming and gambling standards, making the best out of technological advances and allowing some flexibility for future regulation updates. A Union-level policy would ideally involve industry cooperation and might take time for authorities to build capacity, knowledge and implement regulations properly.
Yet such an approach will resolve many doubts that the public might have on the ownership and funding of gaming companies, their licensing and follow-up standard compliance. Once authorities acquire the proper cyber expertise, they can monitor and control the market for abuses, addictions, financial and other risks. Most importantly, they will protect local companies and users from illegal operations, be those domestic or offshore.
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