The government is tightening its grip on online gaming as concerns over addiction and financial risks escalate.
The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) issued 1,298 blocking directions against online betting, gambling, and gaming websites between 2022 and 2024, according to PIB.
“The government is cognizant of the risks posed by online gaming and potential harms like addiction,” Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
The crackdown follows amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which place specific obligations on gaming platforms and social media intermediaries. These platforms are required to swiftly remove unlawful content, particularly those related to gambling, money laundering, or material harmful to children.
Notably, Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Jitin Prasada, informed the Lok Sabha in December that between 2022 and 2024, the IT ministry issued 692 blocking directions for online betting, gambling, and gaming websites and apps.
In January, the Ministry of Finance in India also authorised the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) to block online gaming websites and mobile apps that are evading Goods and Services Tax (GST). This move aims to curb tax violations and strengthen enforcement in the digital gaming sector.
The government’s digital enforcement isn’t limited to gaming. It is also ramping up measures against online pornography, particularly content involving minors, Minister Vaishnaw told Lok Sabha in a written reply.
The IT Act imposes strict punishments for publishing or transmitting obscene material or sexually explicit content online. Additionally, the 2021 IT Rules mandate that intermediaries must ensure due diligence, or risk losing legal immunity for third-party content.
Social media platforms that provide messaging services must enable the identification of the first originator of content related to offenses such as rape, child sexual abuse material (CSAM), or sexually explicit content. These intermediaries are also required to remove within 24 hours any content exposing the private areas of individuals, depicting nudity, or portraying sexual acts.
