On Sunday, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra stated that the state government is preparing to introduce legislation to regulate online gaming.
During a press conference, Mishra said, “We are going to bring an Act in Madhya Pradesh to regulate online gaming. The draft is ready and will be brought to the Cabinet for final approval.”
The home minister claims that online gaming will be included in the legal framework by modifying the Gambling Act. A draft for the legislation has been made, he claimed, and a regulating agency will likely be established as well.
The Madhya Pradesh government said in January that it will be drafting a bill to regulate gaming applications on mobile phones in response to the increased incidents of children becoming addicted to internet gaming.
Following the alleged online game-related suicide, the announcement was made. Mishra focused on how these online games degrade youth if they are accessible all the time to them.
Mishra also said, “We will be making amendments to the public gambling act and a law to regulate online gaming platforms will be introduced soon.”
Earlier in September, the Madhya Pradesh High Court told the state government to take necessary steps to regulate online gaming/gambling within the next three months.
Recently, not only youth but adults have also been addicted to online gaming. Not only in Madhya Pradesh but several other states have also been protesting regarding online gaming. States have been demanding concrete laws to regulate online gaming.
Several states have introduced different types of ordinances to regulate online gaming or straight-up ban them. Madhya Pradesh is now also following these steps due to recent cases relating to online gaming.