Gaming in India has risen to significant heights over the past five years. With such popularity, several problems have come to light like excessive addiction, loss of huge sums of money and more. With the recent incident of conversion via online games, the Indian Government is preparing to take certain important measures to tackle emerging concerns with gaming.
Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology (IT), Rajeev Chandrasekhar, stated on June 12 that the government has established a framework for online gaming for the first time and that the government would not allow three types of online games in the nation.
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Indian Government to Ban Three Types of Games in the Country
The Union Minister has told ANI that the government had already drafted a blueprint for the new restrictions. He outlined the three sorts of games that will be prohibited. However, he did not specify the criteria that would be used to categorize games into one of the three categories. He said that the following games will be prohibited in India:
- Apps involve betting: Games that encourage betting, and frequently result in financial losses, unethical practices, and other negative effects.
- Games that cause user harm: This category may include games with violent or graphic themes that promote violence and have a harmful influence on players’ mental and emotional health.
- Games involve addiction: Games that cause excessive addiction which may result in loss of money, compromised physical health etc.
#WATCH | For the first time we have prepared a framework regarding online gaming, in that we will not allow 3 types of games in the country. Games that involve betting or can be harmful to the user and that involves a factor of addiction will be banned in the country: Union… pic.twitter.com/XUdeHQM2ho
— ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2023
The minister said, “For the first time we have prepared a framework regarding online gaming, in that we will not allow 3 types of games in the country. Games that involve betting or can be harmful to the user and that involve a factor of addiction will be banned in the country.”.
Currently, Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store are two of the most renowned app stores, and the latest news will have an influence on both.
The topic of the ban on certain online games comes from the recent scandal, dubbed the Gaming Conversion Racket, involving the primary accused, Shahnawaz Khan, and Abdul Rehman, a maulvi at a mosque in Ghaziabad. The two accused would approach children in online gaming lobbies and persuade them to convert to a certain religion.
Will BGMI Get Banned Again?
The recent statements from the Union Minister have raised concerns about the BGMI ban again, which recently made a comeback. The game got approval after being complied with all regulations that the government had set and is now restricting users with playtime limitations and online spending. It is already known that the game has been given a 3-month trial period and a final decision is yet to be taken. However it is unsure whether the game may be banned again, but it would be very hard for the parties that are heavily invested in the game if it gets banned again.
The three classifications mentioned by Minister Chandrasekhar are just too broad to make even an educated judgement. However, one thing is certain: some of the most popular apps on Google Play and Apple App Store will cease to exist in the coming months.
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