Industry Bodies Can't Be Self-Regulatory Organisations For Online Gaming: MoS Chandrasekhar

Industry bodies cannot become self-regulatory organisations to regulate online gaming and the watchdog has to be away from the dominance of industry players, Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Tuesday.

While speaking with reporters after an open house consultation with online gaming companies on the proposed rules, the minister said that he expects new rules to be notified by Jan. 31.

The government has proposed a self-regulatory mechanism to regulate online gaming companies under the draft rules for online gaming.

"It is wrong to assume that an industry body will automatically become an self-regulatory organisation. Any industry body will not be SRO. It will be a body representing all stakeholders," Chandrasekhar said.

The minister said that SRO will comprise representatives of children, parents, players, government and gaming intermediaries. All gaming companies that can be allowed under the new rules will need to register with SRO.

The Ministry of Electronics and IT has extended the last date for public comments on the proposed rules to Jan. 25 from Jan. 17 fixed earlier.

Chandrasekhar said that both games of skills and games of chance can be permitted online but betting which is based on the outcome of real-life games will not be allowed.

The government has proposed a self-regulatory mechanism, mandatory verification of players and physical Indian addresses for online gaming companies, according to the draft online gaming rules.

Online gaming companies will be covered under the new IT rules that were issued in 2021 for social media platforms.

Chandrasekhar has already held extensive consultation on draft rules for online gaming with parents, students and educationists—over concerns, expectations, and suggestions on fine-tuning, quite literally, the "rules of the game".