The Online Gaming Bill was passed in Parliament within two days of introduction, despite opposition protests. The bill aims to promote e-sports and online social games with legal recognition, while regulating money gaming, which has been flagged as a public health risk. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stressed its social and economic impact.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw speaks in the Rajya Sabha during the Monsoon session of Parliament. Pic/PTI
Amid the ongoing Parliament Monsoon Session, the Online Gaming Bill has been passed in just two days since its introduction. After the Lok Sabha passed the Online Gaming Bill on Wednesday, the Rajya Sabha on Thursday also passed The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill amid protests and sloganeering by the Opposition.
As reported by news agency ANI, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had moved The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, as passed by the Lok Sabha, for consideration and passing in the Rajya Sabha.
Highlighting the aspects of the bill, the Union Minister explained that there are three aspects of the bill – E-sports, Online Social Gaming, and Online Money Gaming – out of which two-thirds of the segment (E-sports and Online Social Gaming) will be promoted and encouraged.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, while speaking in the Rajya Sabha, said that "online gaming is an important subject which has emerged as an important sector in the digital world. It has three segments – the first segment is e-sports, in which people form a team and play, learn coordination, and develop strategic thinking. Our players have also won many medals. In this bill, e-sports will be promoted, an authority will be created for it, and it will receive legal recognition. The second is online social games, which include solitaire, chess, sudoku, etc. In this bill, online social games will be promoted and encouraged, and an authority will be created," as cited by news agency ANI.
Addressing the issue, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also discussed the third segment – Online Money Games – which he described as a "public health risk".
Vaishnaw further said that "two-thirds of the segment of the entire world of online gaming is being promoted, but there is one such segment, the third – online money games – which has led to a major problem in society, especially among middle-class youth. It becomes addictive, and the family’s savings are spent.”
He further highlighted, “It is estimated that 45 crore people are affected by it, and more than Rs 20,000 crore has been lost. WHO has declared it a gaming disorder. Online money gaming has become a public health risk. Problems such as psychological disorders, compulsive behaviour, and violent behaviour are arising from it. Many families have been destroyed due to it. This has become a huge problem. A major aspect is money laundering, and its effect has also been seen in terror activities. There were efforts to stop this problem, but it kept on growing,” as cited by news agency ANI.
Union Minister Vaishnaw also criticised the opposition for creating a ruckus in the House while he was moving the bill for passage.
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