- 5 months ago
Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav defended the passing of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025, stating it was necessary to take strict action against online money gaming, which is almost spreading like drugs in the society.
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00:00End game for pay-to-play platform
00:11Centre pulls the plug on real money gaming
00:23Very strict action on the online money game
00:27which is almost spreading like drugs in the society
00:31Addiction, laundering and fraud alert
00:37Wherever the choice is between middle class
00:40and a segment of the industry
00:43the welfare of the middle class has to be seen
00:45The clean-up that changes everything
00:51Man driving the sweeping change speaks to India today
01:03IT Mantri Ashwini Vaishnaw exclusive on NewsTrack
01:08Good evening, tonight on NewsTrack
01:14we are talking about two games
01:15We have the union IT minister on the show
01:17explaining the rationale behind this bill
01:20But first, cricket, the gentleman's game
01:22The sports ministry has finally broken its silence
01:26on the ongoing controversy over the Asia Cup
01:29fixture with Pakistan
01:31But outlining a comprehensive policy
01:34on cricketing ties with its neighbour
01:37The statement reads and I quote
01:38In so far as bilateral sports events
01:42in each other's country are concerned
01:45Indian teams will not be participating
01:47in competitions in Pakistan
01:49nor will we permit Pakistani teams
01:53to play in India
01:55But when it comes to international sports bodies
01:58and the interest of our own sports persons
02:01it is also relevant to take into account
02:04India's emergence as a credible venue
02:07to host international sports events
02:09Accordingly, Indian teams and individual players
02:12will take part in international events
02:15that also have teams or players from Pakistan
02:19To break this down further
02:21I am being joined by our consulting editor
02:24Nikhil Nas
02:25Nikhil, is this essentially the status quo now
02:28officially formalised as a sporting policy
02:32since we have not had bilateral ties with them
02:36for over a decade now?
02:39Maria, yes
02:40I mean, you know
02:41there were two steps that were taken before this
02:44We had the announcement of the Asia Cup
02:46a few days ago
02:47but yet we did not know 100%
02:50if the India-Pakistan game will go ahead
02:52Then there was the announcement of the Asia Cup team
02:54yet you hadn't heard from the government
02:56So anyone who thought that maybe still
02:58there could be a U-turn
03:00maybe there will be no India-Pakistan game
03:02keeping in mind
03:03what the government's approach has been
03:05with our neighbours
03:06you thought there could still be a situation
03:08where that game may not go ahead
03:10on the 14th of September
03:11But now that the sports ministry
03:12has come up with a document
03:15where they've shared their vision
03:16as far as their relationship with Pakistan
03:18is going to be concerned going forward
03:20it pretty much confirms that
03:22India and Pakistan will be playing against
03:24each other at the Asia Cup
03:25To break it down
03:27what they've done in three points
03:28One, they've said that
03:30listen, no bilateral ties
03:31between India and Pakistan
03:32No question about it
03:33But that's been the case
03:35for the last decade or so
03:36So nothing changes there
03:37The other thing they say
03:39is that
03:39we will continue
03:41playing against each other
03:43in multilateral
03:44as well as international tournaments
03:46Now this is also a stance
03:48that India has had
03:49for the last decade or so
03:50when there was no bilateral ties
03:52However, this time
03:53what they've gone on to say
03:54and this is a sort of
03:55an explanation that has
03:56come from
03:57And the other thing
03:58they've said is that
03:59Pakistan teams
04:00will be allowed to come to India
04:01and participate in any tournament
04:03that's multilateral
04:04as well as an international tournament
04:06That again remains the same
04:08sort of a scenario
04:09which was there
04:09before Operation Sindhur
04:11which was there
04:11before Pail Ghan
04:12The only thing that the government
04:14has done differently this time
04:15is actually come and told you
04:16why they've gone ahead
04:18with playing Pakistan
04:19and that is
04:20that listen, India wants to be seen
04:22as a viable
04:23sporting international venue
04:26and for that in mind
04:27they've decided that
04:29listen, you will have to play Pakistan
04:30when it comes to multilateral events
04:32but it does seem a bit awkward
04:34keeping in mind
04:34what the stance of the government
04:36has been in the recent past
04:37Alright, Nikhil
04:38really appreciate your time
04:39Thank you for joining us
04:40Shifting gears to another game now
04:42let's turn our attention
04:44to the growing menace
04:45of online gaming
04:46In a landmark decision
04:48that could redefine
04:50India's digital entertainment landscape
04:52the parliament has passed
04:54the Promotion and Regulation
04:56of Online Gaming Bill 2025
04:57Citing rising concerns
05:00over addiction
05:01financial losses
05:02and deceptive practices
05:04the bill aims to crack down
05:06on platforms operating
05:08outside the legal ambit
05:09This move follows
05:11an alarming surge
05:12in cases involving
05:14young users
05:15losing both time and money
05:16to unregulated gaming apps
05:18With India's online gaming industry
05:21valued at 20,000 crore
05:23a whopping 20,000 crore
05:25the impact of this legislation
05:27will be massive
05:28for players, parents
05:29and the companies
05:30behind these platforms
05:32Tonight on NewsTrack
05:33we will be speaking to the man
05:35leading the sweeping reform
05:37but first
05:37here's a closer look
05:39at what the bill
05:40actually proposes
05:42a storm is brewing
05:51in India's booming
05:52online gaming sector
05:54and this time
05:56no amount of grinding
05:58farming
05:59ganking
06:00smurfing
06:01or cheat codes
06:02may be enough
06:02to save the industry
06:03The question is
06:06whether promotion
06:07and regulation
06:07of online gaming bill
06:082025
06:09passed by Lok Sabha
06:10be taken into consideration
06:12Those in favour
06:14will please say aye
06:15Aye
06:16Those against
06:17will please say no
06:18No
06:19After clearing
06:22the Lok Sabha hurdle
06:23the online gaming bill
06:24has been passed
06:25in the Rajya Sabha
06:26The IT minister
06:27has defended the bill
06:28saying it is pro-citizen
06:30and will also help
06:31stop money laundering
06:32Not just that
06:34it will save people
06:35from falling into
06:36debt traps
06:37It is a legislation
06:59industry voices are calling
07:00nothing short of a death knell
07:02The 13-page bill
07:04defines an online money game
07:05as one played by
07:06depositing money
07:07with the expectation
07:08of monetary
07:09or other gains
07:10After presidents are sent
07:14the bill will
07:14effectively outlaw
07:16money-based online gaming
07:17in India
07:18From rummy apps
07:19and poker platforms
07:20to fantasy sports
07:22and real money skill games
07:23The promotion
07:24and regulation
07:25of online gaming bill
07:262025 states
07:28No person shall offer
07:30aid
07:31abet
07:31induce
07:32or engage
07:33in online money games
07:35Licenses will be mandatory
07:36with strict penalties
07:38for violators
07:39The All India Gaming Federation
07:43AIGF
07:44has written to
07:44Home Minister Amit Shah
07:45seeking urgent intervention
07:47warning
07:48that a blanket ban
07:49could devastate the sector
07:50Instead
07:51it has called
07:52for progressive regulation
07:54Industry representatives
07:56warned the bill
07:57could push
07:58legitimate gamers
07:59into illegal gambling apps
08:01and wipe out
08:01lakhs of jobs
08:02India's gaming industry
08:05is no small player
08:06According to the AIGF
08:08it is valued
08:09at 2 lakh crore
08:10and employs
08:12over 2 lakh people
08:13across 400 companies
08:14A ban
08:15it warns
08:16could erase
08:1720,000 crore
08:19in annual GST revenues
08:21jeopardize
08:222.5 billion dollars
08:23in foreign investment
08:24and sink
08:253,000 crore
08:27in advertising
08:28and tech spends
08:29Endorsements
08:32by top cricketers
08:32and aggressive marketing
08:34have created
08:35stratospheric valuations
08:36for India's
08:37biggest gaming firms
08:38Dream 11
08:40is reportedly
08:41valued
08:42at 8 billion dollars
08:43and Mobile Premier League
08:44at 2.5 billion dollars
08:46But supporters
08:48of the bill
08:49insist
08:49real money games
08:50exploit
08:51vulnerable players
08:52drain family savings
08:53and often serve
08:55as a front
08:56for betting
08:56and gambling
08:57There have been
09:00cases of suicides
09:01and family disputes
09:02linked to gaming losses
09:04The government
09:04cites a surge
09:06in frauds
09:06teenage addiction
09:07and unregulated
09:09cash flows
09:09raising alarms
09:10over money laundering
09:11and financial security
09:13The bill also warns
09:15these games
09:16use manipulative
09:17design features
09:18addictive algorithms
09:19and promote
09:20compulsive behavior
09:21leading to financial ruin
09:23For years
09:25India's gaming industry
09:26thrived in a grey zone
09:28exploiting the legal
09:29distinction
09:30between skill
09:31and chance
09:32Many apps
09:34claim to be skill-based
09:35to avoid
09:35gambling restrictions
09:36even as the centre
09:38and states
09:39tried to clamp down
09:40This new bill
09:41seeks to end
09:42that ambiguity
09:43once and for all
09:45For the government
09:50it is about
09:51consumer protection
09:52and national interest
09:53but for the industry
09:54it is about
09:55survival
09:56jobs
09:56and innovation
09:57What's clear
10:00is this
10:00A multi-billion dollar
10:02industry
10:03now hangs in the balance
10:04its fate
10:05resting on the roll
10:06of the legislative
10:07dice
10:08Bureau Report
10:11Business Today TV
10:13Hello everyone
10:22Welcome to this
10:23special conversation
10:24The online gaming bill
10:262025
10:26has been passed
10:27by the parliament
10:28and as expected
10:30it has drawn
10:31some sharp
10:32contradictory reactions
10:33The man who was
10:35helming this crucial
10:36legislation
10:37is right here
10:38with us
10:38India's electronics
10:40and IT minister
10:41railways minister
10:42and INB minister
10:44Ashwini Vaishnav
10:45Thank you for speaking
10:46to India today
10:47sir
10:47What is the government's
10:50rationale
10:51behind
10:52this blanket ban
10:53Is it social
10:55moral
10:56or economic
10:58If you look at the bill
11:00it's promotion
11:02and regulation
11:03of the
11:04online gaming
11:06online gaming
11:07world
11:08right
11:08So there are two
11:09aspects of it
11:10promotion
11:10as well as
11:11regulation
11:12Promotion is for
11:13the things
11:14which are good
11:14for the society
11:15e-sports
11:16which is emerging
11:17as a major
11:17competitive sports
11:18category
11:19online social games
11:21which are part
11:22of our life
11:23all of us
11:24play sudoku
11:24chess
11:25so many things
11:26that we play
11:26one part
11:28out of this
11:29entire universe
11:29of online gaming
11:30two thirds
11:32is very good
11:32one third
11:33the online
11:35money games
11:35that is having
11:36a significantly
11:37serious impact
11:38on the society
11:39people are losing
11:40money
11:41families are breaking
11:42so many people
11:43are committing
11:44suicide
11:44and the way
11:45it is spreading
11:46close to 45 crore
11:48people are affected
11:49by it
11:49by now
11:50more than
11:5120,000 crore
11:52rupees
11:52have been
11:53lost
11:54in the online
11:56money games
11:56from across
11:58the country
11:59honourable MPs
12:00honourable MLAs
12:01other public
12:02representatives
12:03they have been
12:04constantly asking
12:05for a
12:06very strict
12:07action
12:08on the online
12:10money game
12:10which is almost
12:11spreading like
12:13drugs in the
12:13society
12:14it is a menace
12:15it is something
12:16which is very
12:16harmful for the
12:18society
12:19that is why
12:19it was very
12:21important to
12:22bring
12:22a very
12:23strict action
12:25against the
12:26online money
12:27games
12:27we have been
12:28trying to
12:29bring software
12:30regulation over
12:31the last three
12:31and a half years
12:32but the problem
12:34could not be
12:34solved
12:35and that is why
12:36this strict
12:37action had to
12:37be taken
12:38wherever the
12:40choice is between
12:41middle class
12:42and a segment
12:44of the industry
12:45the welfare of
12:46the middle class
12:46has to be seen
12:47Mr. Vaishanav if
12:49the concern is
12:50addiction and
12:51financial ruin
12:53then why not
12:54regulate it
12:55ensure some
12:56safeguards
12:56that option was
12:57given but that
12:58didn't work out
12:59so let's look
13:01at you are
13:02intending to
13:03protect people
13:05that's the
13:05intention behind
13:06it
13:07why not then
13:08combine regulation
13:09with digital
13:11literacy some
13:12kind of parental
13:12control
13:13this problem
13:17will have to
13:18be solved
13:18by a multiple
13:20kind of array
13:22of solutions
13:23we will have to
13:24look at awareness
13:25we will have to
13:25look at things
13:27like parental
13:29control as you
13:29said we will
13:30have to look at
13:31teachers teaching
13:32the students
13:33properly so that
13:34the people become
13:35students become
13:36aware of these
13:37issues and
13:39simultaneously
13:39we will have to
13:40take harsh legal
13:41actions also
13:42it has to be a
13:43combination of
13:44things
13:44and sir you
13:45know how does
13:46this bill then
13:47reconcile with
13:48what the supreme
13:49court says
13:49games of skills
13:51and they are not
13:53seen as gambling
13:53issue is not
13:55issue is not
13:57about what
13:58category of games
13:59are issue is
13:59whether online
14:01money gaming is
14:02harmful for the
14:02society or not
14:04and this is very
14:05clear that the
14:06online money games
14:08are harmful for
14:09the society
14:09but sir if you
14:10look at this
14:11industry it is
14:12valued at
14:1220,000 crore it
14:14employs lakhs of
14:16people how is the
14:17government looking at
14:18that aspect of the
14:19loss choice is
14:21between saving the
14:22middle class saving
14:23the young people
14:24versus revenue
14:26then the choice is
14:27very clear we have
14:28to save the middle
14:29class and we have
14:29to save the young
14:30people when was
14:31this decision taken
14:32mr. Vaishnav that
14:34you will be going in
14:35over last three and
14:36a half years we have
14:37been very deeply
14:38engaged with the
14:38industry and you
14:40felt that it has
14:41evolved it has
14:42evolved and blanket
14:43ban was the only
14:44option it has
14:45evolved because so
14:46many things have
14:46been tried yes
14:47mr. Vaishnav you
14:50know because the
14:51internet is
14:53borderless are you
14:54not worried then
14:55you know some of
14:56these platforms can
14:58shift their servers
15:00outside India and
15:02what is right now
15:03legal can become
15:04can go underground
15:05see we have
15:09enforcement mechanisms
15:11by which things
15:14which are basically
15:15illegal coming from
15:18offshore servers are
15:19regularly being
15:20blocked and actions
15:24being taken so that
15:25mechanism will continue
15:26to work what's
15:28important is something
15:29which is harmful for
15:30the society should it
15:31be easily available to
15:33our children question
15:35is our next
15:36generation right
15:36question is whether
15:38that generation will
15:38be able to get the
15:40right way of growing
15:42up rather than
15:43getting into the
15:43such really harmful
15:47impacts of the
15:48online money gaming
15:49that's the major
15:49question should we
15:51make it easily
15:51available or should we
15:52try to control it
15:53fundamentally that's
15:56the construct so we
15:57are trying to
15:58control it so that
15:59at least it is not
16:00so obviously available
16:01and it is not
16:02endorsed by celebrities
16:04and sportspersons so
16:07that that doesn't
16:07become a major role
16:08model for the youth
16:10and students that is
16:12what is see the
16:13problem is when
16:15celebrities endorse
16:17such games then
16:18people think that it
16:18is okay to play and
16:20once they get into
16:21this game the way the
16:22algorithms are designed
16:23initially you'll win
16:24win win smaller
16:26amounts then suddenly
16:26there's a big loss
16:28there are people who
16:29have lost their entire
16:30life savings yesterday
16:31one of the journalist
16:32friend was saying that
16:33his son who's in
16:34grades who's in sixth
16:36standard he lost 38
16:38thousand rupees so I
16:40mean this is just one
16:42small example there are
16:43hundreds and hundreds and
16:44thousands of such
16:45examples in this society
16:46in terms of the role of
16:47the states sir
16:48states will have states
16:50are cooperating
16:50Tamil Nadu in itself
16:52signed in fact they
16:54passed a bill recently
16:55and then Karnataka home
16:56minister said in their
16:57assembly that it's a
16:58very big menace and
17:00how do you respond to
17:02what the critics are
17:03saying that the bill
17:04punishes law-abiding
17:05players while doing
17:07little to stop black
17:09market gambling apps it
17:11doesn't the bill doesn't
17:12punish the players players
17:16are victims of this
17:17entire thing and that's
17:18why they are not part
17:19there's no liability on
17:20the players a couple of
17:22questions here sir in
17:23terms of this was seen
17:25as one of the sunrise
17:26sectors it is of course
17:29a landmark decision that
17:30has been taken by the
17:31government with the
17:32intent of controlling a
17:34growing menace of as you
17:36said addiction but this
17:38was also a fastest growing
17:39industry which was
17:41generating a lot of FDI
17:43again I'm saying choices
17:45between segment of a
17:47society and harm to the
17:49society what will you do
17:51you'll protect the society
17:53first will you will you
17:55give more importance to
17:57the society and the
17:59middle classes or will
18:00you give more importance
18:01to a segment of the
18:02industry so you have made
18:04that choice absolutely and
18:06in the last three and a
18:07half years I'm sure you
18:08have seen multiple cases
18:09is there some case that
18:10disturbed you a lot there
18:12are many one recent one
18:14couple committed suicide in
18:17Rajasthan just recently then
18:19there are families one full
18:21family committed suicide in
18:22Karnataka then very
18:25recently seven seven or
18:28eight year old child
18:29committed suicide when he
18:32lost money and his mother
18:33reprimanded him so there
18:35are hundreds of such cases
18:36all right thank you for
18:38speaking to India today sir
18:39thank you
18:39and joining me on the show
18:42tonight lukesh suji he is a
18:44e-sports evangelist director
18:46of e-sports federation of
18:48India we also have Badri
18:51Narayanan executive partner
18:52at LKS this is the firm that
18:54is handling the online gaming
18:56case in the Supreme Court
18:57let me begin with you Badri
19:00doesn't outright ban risk
19:03pushing online gaming into
19:05the illegal and unregulated
19:07space making it perhaps even
19:09harder to monitor and control
19:11I think so I think pushing an
19:16absolute ban in a manner which
19:18is so sudden the risk of it
19:22going underground and especially
19:25if people feel that they can as
19:28you put it in borderless internet
19:30the chances of being able to find
19:33places or the proliferation of
19:36illegal apps which now will
19:41prey on innocent people and
19:44and take it underground I think
19:45there's a real risk and it's a
19:47big worry for many of us but
19:50you know if we look at the
19:53intent of the government you
19:54know I'll badly you take this
19:56question only if you look at the
19:57intent of the government it's
19:58well-being the intent is to
20:01safeguard to protect vulnerable
20:04vulnerable sections of the
20:05society the fact is that there
20:07are you know a kind of
20:09addiction which is happening
20:10there are financial losses which
20:12people are suffering so that's
20:14also a reality of this online
20:15gaming
20:15see I think you're you're you
20:20put it in a way where you know
20:22it's difficult to argue against a
20:24point like this but I'll give
20:25another example I'm sure this
20:27issue plagues not only India but
20:29other countries if you take for
20:31example the UK they have a UK
20:33gaming act which regulates online
20:35gaming there's an internet
20:37internet gaming act in the US
20:39Australia has a robust
20:41legislative policy on how it is
20:43and you must see how the society
20:45also develops over a period of
20:47time okay at one point of time we
20:49did not have alcohol because
20:51alcohol is prohibited completely
20:53now we only four states
20:54prohibiting alcohol and we know
20:56how some of those things are
20:58enforced so the way you clamp down
21:00as society kind of progresses is
21:03not by instituting absolute bans but
21:06kind of being able to come up with
21:08rational means of being able to
21:10regulate this so that people are
21:12able to enjoy this in a
21:13responsible manner while removing
21:15whatever possibilities there could
21:18be with respect to these harms that
21:21the society perceives from these
21:24games so that's where I would
21:25probably want to move towards so
21:28there are many countries that
21:29regulate this in a very responsible
21:31manner and there is rich data of
21:34more than hundred years in some of
21:36these countries right from the US
21:38constitution if you see you look at
21:39the UK gaming act it's been there from
21:41186 1845 onwards now in 2005 they've
21:45reformed it and so the people have used
21:48and countries have come up with ways of
21:50being able to handle this in a very
21:51responsible manner okay lukesh could this
21:54bill then end up stifling innovation
21:57and investment in India's growing
21:59gaming industry where legitimate
22:01companies are creating jobs and also
22:03tax revenues
22:04yeah honestly there is no doubt that
22:10you know when you look at you know
22:12the overall revenues from the gaming
22:15market in India the major chunk of
22:18revenues were effectively coming in from
22:20all these RMG apps and but you know one
22:25problem which I specifically see there
22:27is that you know this was also one of
22:31the hindrance that the actual video
22:34gaming or the e-sports industry was not
22:36able to grow because you know as an
22:38investor you would always look at you
22:40know high returns and faster returns and
22:44whereas you know a video game or making a
22:46video game is just like making a movie
22:48you know it may with let's say you know
22:51whatever investments you make in making
22:53a movie and similarly whatever investments
22:55you do in making a video game its success
22:58is not guaranteed whereas when we look at
23:01RMG obviously you know whatever having said
23:04in them the revenues and the profitability
23:05starts kicking in from day one so I think
23:09you know and that is where you know while
23:11obviously you know and that is also one
23:14very important factor to consider that rest
23:17of the world does not consider you know the
23:20RMG revenues as part of the video gaming
23:23revenues you know rest of the world
23:25considers this under the category of i-gaming
23:28and which really impacts you know the
23:31actual video gaming industry and that is
23:34the reason why when we today look at you
23:37know most of the actual video games which
23:39are Indian you know youngsters are playing
23:41they are being developed by you know
23:45multinational companies you know we hardly
23:47play you know the game which have been
23:49developed in India so that is I think this
23:52bill will definitely encourage those kind of
23:55investments coming into let's say the video
23:57games and the esports sector so that clarity
24:01has been brought up with this bill and that's
24:04that's a great thing okay lukesh then what
24:06what happens to you know this sector was also
24:10seen as unregulated do you think this bill
24:13will ensure that it becomes easy to monitor or
24:18will it make it even harder to monitor and
24:21control see that's that's a good question
24:25very honestly I think you know these are good
24:27battles to fight for and this initiative was
24:31something which was long due and obviously our
24:34our government took some time to kind of bring
24:36in this clarity but see I think we should we
24:39should definitely look at this bill from an
24:42overall perspective that it's a good
24:44initiator challenges will always be there
24:46and as you also rightly said that it's an
24:47open internet right it's an open world yes so
24:50the difficulties would be there but having
24:52said so while it is technology oriented there
24:54are a lot of technology oriented tools also
24:57available wherein all those things can be
24:58easily controlled now take for example you
25:00know this bill also proposes that if you like
25:03obviously you know I hear not just that you
25:05know all these things will move offshore and
25:09you know it will lead into another set of
25:11you know under under the underground kind of
25:14activities but the reality is that for somebody
25:17to make a payment you definitely need a payment
25:20gateway now this bill also provision that if you
25:23are enabling as a bank or as a payment gateway
25:26provider if you are enabling these kind of
25:29services then obviously you will equally be
25:31penalized so this means that large and obviously
25:34for you to do an international transaction
25:36obviously the Indian banks your credit cards
25:39your online UPAs and everything won't work
25:41now you know if you have to let's say I'm just
25:45looking at an you know example that let's say
25:47there is some international site who's let's
25:49say operating and they're let's say promoting
25:51in India whichever ways and means and
25:53mechanism yeah but for some user that user
25:56needs to have that kind of a tool wherein he can
25:59make that kind of a payment and that is where
26:01typically you know let's say international you
26:03look at let's say stripe or you know all these
26:06kind of things and that is stripe you know
26:09companies like stripe are not small time payment
26:11gateway providers you know they would not get into
26:14you know illegal thing in a country so they
26:18would eventually also stop all right there are
26:20means and mechanisms wherein all those things can
26:22be controlled all right Badri and Lokesh really
26:25appreciate your time thank you so much of course
26:27the bill has been passed by the Rajya Sabha although
26:30a massive lobbying which is happening from the
26:32other side from the industry as well that's all
26:35from me thanks so much for watching
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