MeitY receives proposals for self-regulatory organisations in online gaming

As per the new regulations introduced in April, the government will approve the formation of three SROs responsible for certifying online games in India

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has received three proposals for the establishment of self-regulatory organisations (SROs) in the field of online gaming.

The proposal for SROs to certify what is permitted as an ‘online game’ in India was first proposed by the Centre in January and after the new regulations were announced in April.

According to the new regulations, the government will approve the formation of three SROs responsible for certifying online games in India. The rules also prohibit games that involve betting and wagering. The approved SRO will also have participation from all the stakeholders including but not limited to the industry. The deadline for SRO applicants was set for July 6.

"We are dealing with a framework which allows for all online gaming to be determined as permissible or not, by an SRO and there will be multiple SROs," Minister of State for IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar had said during the release of the new regulation.

The Esports Players Welfare Association (EPWA), a non-profit organisation, submitted its application just before the deadline, according to a report by the Economic Times.

The other two proposals come from a consortium supported by two gaming industry associations—the E Gaming Federation (EGF) and the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS)—and a self-regulatory body backed by the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF).

The EGF includes Games24x7 and Junglee Games as members, while the FIFS consists of Dream11, Fantasy Akhada, and several other fantasy sports startups. The AIGF comprises online gaming platforms like Zupee, GamesKraft, Paytm First Games, and MPL.

Previously, the government informed the online gaming industry that three SROs would be officially recognised. "The industry has been engaging with MeitY informally to determine the SROs' structure, enabling the notification process to proceed swiftly," stated a senior executive from one of the online gaming firms to ET.