Govt is aware of possible risks associated with online games: MoS IT

The government is aware of risks and user harms linked to online games involving money transactions, but information technology ministry has no proposal to bring them under the category of gambling

The government is aware of risks and user harms linked to online games involving money transactions and their advertisement through various media channels, but the information technology ministry has no proposal to bring them under the category of 'gambling', Parliament was informed on Friday.

Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the government is aware of the growing number of online games available in India and also the opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship associated with them.

"The rapid expansion of the mobile ecosystem and internet in India has also seen the emergence of many new categories of mobile apps, including online gaming apps.

"The government is aware of the possible risks and challenges, including that of user harms associated with online games and their advertisements through different channels/media," Chandrasekhar said.

He was replying to a set of questions asked by BJP Rajya Sabha member Vinay Dinu Tendulkar on whether advertisements of app-based digital games through various channels encourage students, youth and people to play those games, in which money transactions are done through digital modes.

Chandrasekhar added that online gaming platforms are 'intermediaries' and they have to follow the due diligence as per the Information Technology Act.

"All forms of gambling and betting come under the purview of state governments and they have enacted their laws to deal with the same within their jurisdictions... Based on the requests received from the designated nodal officers of the ministries/states on specified grounds, this ministry blocks apps/ URLs," he said.

The minister said the due process specified in the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009, is followed to block the apps.

In response to the question that "whether the government has prepared any plan to bring such games under the category of gambling", Chandrasekhar said that "there is no specific proposal with this ministry".