Parliament successfully on Thursday passed the 'Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill,' a significant piece of legislation aimed at banning online games played with money. The bill's passage occurred amidst strong protests from the Opposition, who were demanding a discussion on the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, which was being conducted by the Election Commission.
The bill was approved in the Rajya Sabha through a voice vote, having been cleared by the Lok Sabha just one day prior. The new law makes the operation of online money games punishable with imprisonment of up to three years and/or a fine of up to Rs 1 crore.
During the tabling of the bill in the Upper House, Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, drew a strong parallel, stating, "The money-gaming addiction is like drug addiction." He also anticipated legal and public relations challenges to the legislation.
"The powerful people behind online money games will challenge the decision in courts. They will run social media campaigns against this ban," he remarked, also noting a serious concern: "We have seen the impact of games and how the money is used to support terror."
An online money game is defined by the bill as any game where a user deposits money with the expectation of winning monetary or other forms of enrichment. The legislation effectively outlaws all online betting and gambling activities, encompassing a wide range of games from online fantasy sports to online gambling games like Poker, Rummy, and other card games, as well as online lotteries.
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The bill also includes rules aimed at stopping the promotion and financial support of these games. It aims to stop all ads for online money games and prevent banks and financial institutions from sending money to support these kinds of activities.
The consequences for breaking these rules are very serious. Spending money on ads can result in being imprisoned for up to two years and/or facing a fine of up to 50 lakh rupees. Helping with money transactions for games that involve money can lead to being imprisoned for up to three years and/or paying a fine of up to one crore rupees.
If someone commits the same offense again, they will face stricter punishments, such as imprisonment for three to five years and fines as high as Rs 2 crore. Furthermore, crimes covered under important parts of the bill are considered cognizable and non-bailable.
Also Read: Centre clears bill on online gaming app
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