Recent regulatory interventions in India targeted at digital services are both harsh and sudden, such as the ban on real-money games without notice to gamers.
This policy unpredictability is accelerating India's brain drain, particularly in tech and digital innovation, where skilled professionals seek more stable environments abroad.
Government's attempt to regulate online gaming sector, particularly games involving financial stakes, is undoubtedly praiseworthy, given that this sector was previously largely unregulated.
The new law, which the government has framed as a moral duty, forced major platforms like Dream11 & Zupee to shut operations, wiping out hundreds of crores in market capitalisation.
If the Act applied to the ‘offline’ games, then ATP tennis tournaments, Davis Cup ties, IPL matches, and even Test cricket, each with cash rewards or trophies, would fall foul.
Before the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka brought laws to regulate online gaming.
India should build on regulatory architecture instead of driving consumers into the shadows. The real choice is not between prohibition and inaction, but between regulation and chaos.
New bIll makes no difference between online games of skill & chance, proposing a complete ban on any game played for money, including its endorsement, banking services, etc
FAFT report cites analysis of in-game purchases to highlight link between terror financing & money laundering techniques used either to move or layer funds using gaming platforms.
CSE, one of India’s oldest bourses, is edging towards a voluntary exit. It could never recover from market manipulation scam that caused a payment crisis at exchange back in 2001.
Fresh details of operation conducted by IAF, Army have come out in gazette notification giving citations of those who were awarded Vir Chakra for their bravery.
Education, reservations, govt jobs are meant to bring equality and dignity. That we are a long way from that is evident in the shoe thrown at the CJI and the suicide of Haryana IPS officer. The film Homebound has a lesson too.
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