The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) on 2nd January released draft amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 pertaining to Online Gaming for public consultations.
- Objective: The draft has been prepared to ensure that online games (skilled based games) should be offered in conformity with Indian laws and that the users of such games be safeguarded against potential harm.
- The Government through a gazette notification, recently notified change in Allocation of Business rules designating Meity as the nodal ministry for online gaming related concerns.
Key features of draft rule
- The draft has proposed a self-regulatory mechanism which, in future, may also regulate the content of online gaming and ensure that the games do not have violent, addictive or sexual content.
- Self-regulatory bodies should be registered with the ministry and comprise of members including a central government-nominated person.
- These bodies will be responsible for certifying what is permitted as an online gaming intermediary in the country, granting memberships, and registering online games from these intermediaries that meet certain criteria.
- They will also resolve user complaints through a grievance-redressal mechanism that have not been resolved by the grievance-redressal mechanism of its members.
- Online gaming intermediaries, those which offer one or more online games, should display a registration mark on all online games registered by a self-regulatory body and inform their users on policies related to withdrawal or refund of deposits, manner of determination and distribution of winnings, fees and other charges payable, the KYC procedure for user account registration, the risk of financial loss and addiction associated with the online games and the measures taken to protect user deposits.
- Games that allow any form of betting or wagering on the outcome are prohibited under these draft rules.
- Kids under the age of 18 will need parental consent for playing online games.
- Online gaming platforms should appoint a chief compliance officer who will be responsible for ensuring that the platform is complying with the rules and orders from law enforcement agencies and their officers, a nodal contact person who will coordinate with law enforcement agencies and officers to ensure compliance with their orders and a grievance officer to resolve user complaints. They should also have a physical presence in the country.
