India's Online Gaming Bill: Balancing Public Health and E-Sports Growth

The Indian government is set to prioritize the enforcement of 'prohibition clauses' in the Online Gaming Bill once it receives presidential assent, according to IT Secretary S Krishnan. This move comes as efforts intensify to draft rules for other provisions of the 2025 legislation.

The bill, recently passed by Parliament, aims to ban all money-based games due to their adverse societal impacts, while concurrently encouraging the growth of e-sports and online social gaming. With the approval from the Rajya Sabha, the bill is positioned to transform India's gaming landscape.

IT Secretary Krishnan emphasized the urgency, stating that society needs to address the prevalent social evils tied to online money games. The legislation, once enacted, is expected to rapidly shift the regulatory framework, with the onus on gaming platforms to ensure compliance.

(With inputs from agencies.)