Online money gaming serious social, public health issue; major negative impact on society: Vaishnaw
The minister asserted that the proposed legislation will promote eSports and social gaming, and aim to position India as a global hub for game development.
Online money gaming has become a serious social and public health issue, causing demonstrable negative impact on society, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday after the Lok Sabha passed a bill to ban online games played with money.
The minister asserted that the proposed legislation will promote eSports and social gaming, and aim to position India as a global hub for game development.
The harmful effects of online money games had necessiated the need for a strong action to prevent social harm, the minister told PTI in an interview.
Extensive deliberations were held on the matter, with several rounds of engagements involving the industry to explore ways of curbing the harmful impact of online money games, the minister said, noting that even the proposed self-regulatory framework that was mooted, didn't work out.
"We have been requesting the industry to remove the addictive elements, which come into play. There are cases of money laundering, issues related to serious instances where even support to terror activities has been noted in online money games. Cross-border fund flow is clearly visible. So all these things have been taken into account while drafting the Bill," Vaishnaw said.
Asked about the contention by specific industry bodies that the Bill sounds a death knell for the sector, and will lead to loss of investments and jobs, the minister stressed that the government will, in fact, create programs to spur growth of the gaming industry, per se.
"Two of the three segments, e-sports and online social gaming, will be promoted and encouraged. And we will be creating programs which help the growth of the gaming industry, per se. And the people who are employed in the gaming industry will find new opportunities. Online money gaming...there is a demonstrated significant negative impact on society," he said.
He stressed that when there is substantial harm to society, and that is weighed against the interests of a segment of the industry, it is society’s well-being that must be prioritised, he emphasised.
The comments from the minister assume significance as the Lok Sabha passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill to ban the operating, facilitating and advertising of online games played with money, as the government moved to check rising instances of addiction, money laundering and financial fraud through such applications.
"Our endeavour is to promote eSports and online social gaming, and we would like India to become a game-making hub. For that, a lot of efforts are being made," Vaishnaw said.
The minister said so far as digital technologies go, online gaming has emerged as a "major sector" with three main segments.
"Two segments, e-sports and online social gaming, are good for society. We are promoting two out of three segments...These two will get legal recognition and they will be promoted. And this bill will create an authority which basically builds programs and schemes which promote e-sports and online social gaming," the minister said.
Online money gaming, the third segment, is causing harm to the society, Vaishnaw said adding this has emerged as a major social and public health problem.
"Even WHO has basically classified a new disease called gaming disorder which causes anxiety, depression, sleep problems, social withdrawal and stress. It causes compulsive behaviour, psychological distress and causes serious disruptions in the family and social life. We have seen the addiction to online money gaming has caused, has led to middle class families losing their entire life savings. There are cases of suicide," the minister said.
Notably, he said, the bill recognises users as victims of online money gaming.
"That is why there is no punitive action on the users. However, those offering online money gaming service and those advertising for these services as well as the people who are enabling the financial transactions for such services are subject to liabilities under this Bill," he explained.
On the passage of the Bill in the Lok Sabha, the minister said that the opposition was not willing to discuss the legislation. "It's really unfortunate that the opposition is not willing to discuss such important legislations which are having significant impact on society," Vaishnaw said.