Maharashtra Government to Submit Proposal to Centre for Online Gaming Ban

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in his address to the Legislative Assembly, stated that the government had approached the Union IT Minister, and the Centre is now seriously examining the issue related to online gaming. As of now, only the Union government has the authority to ban or regulate online gaming because most of the games are operated from foreign soil, and the Maharashtra government cannot take any steps to block them.

Maharashtra is pushing for a ban on online gaming over addiction concerns

The voices for the game ban came after so many rising incidents across the state and country. The causes include suicides and huge debts due to gaming addiction. One such MLA highlighted one incident where one man sold everything he had to fund his gaming addiction, ultimately caught himself in huge debt, and decided to take his life alongside his wife and children.

However, most of these unfortunate cases belong to Real Money Gambling games, not skill-based games. While it is true that both fall under the same umbrella, there is a huge difference between them. Real money gambling games are luck-based gambling apps, while skill-based games involve strategy and decision-making. However, whenever such unfortunate incidents become news, the collective outrage quickly calls for banning "online gaming" without clarifying the fundamental difference between both, and this lack of clarity leads to unfair blame on the entire gaming ecosystem.

Thankfully, during the discussions, members highlighted that most of these unfortunate incidents involve real money gambling apps. The further stated that celebrities and influencers should avoid endorsing these apps.

It's true that even skill-based games can have such unfortunate related incidents. However, taking right measures and regulation steps can find a middle way. Today, gaming has become a billion-dollar industry. Esports has become a part of the Los Angeles Olympics 2028. 

 

Written by: Ashish Jha, India Today Gaming

Edited By: Yashna Talwar