Many people want curbs on online games: Survey

A whopping 91% of the survey participants also said they wanted the government to ban unsolicited text messages sent by such gaming platforms

The Supreme Court has deemed online fantasy sports as a game of skill, but many members of the public think otherwise, according to a new survey by LocalCircles.

65 per cent of the survey participants said they explicitly believe that online fantasy sports were a game of chance. Many of them also urged the government to introduce loss limits per online game due to the related financial risks.

A whopping 91 per cent of the survey participants also said they wanted the government to ban unsolicited text messages sent by such gaming platforms.

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The survey results come at a time the government looks to finalise an online gaming bill and the All India Gaming Federation expects the Indian online mobile gaming sector to reach $5 billion by 2025.

Rising smartphone and internet penetration, along with innovation in game design, gaming platforms and digital technologies, have propelled the sector in recent years. The pandemic, which forced many people to turn to digital avenues of entertainment, helped the industry further. The AIGF sees the number of India’s online gamers jumping to 450 million in 2023 from 390 million last year.

Unclear and risky

Many are worried about the ambiguity and lack of regulation tied to online games.

While gambling falls squarely in the state list and is strictly prohibited in all forms across the country, there is lack of clarity about regulation in online gaming, especially when it comes to differentiation between a game of skill and game of chance.

The Supreme Court and various high courts have maintained that fantasy sports were a game of skill while “barring 11 states, others have put a ban on online gaming with money or risk,” the LocalCircles report said.

“In the context of fantasy games, it is very clearly established that they are games of skill. We are hopeful that this clarity in position will be reflected in future regulations for online games of skill as well,” said Roland Landers, CEO, All India Gaming Federation.

Another key concern that emerged from the survey was about limiting loss in online gaming and fantasy sports.

“We as operators have always advised the players to have a gameplay that fits to their life, economy, physical health and social demands,” said Ankur Singh, CEO and Founder, Witzeal Technologies.

However, people don’t always play with caution.

As a result, 54 per cent of the survey participants want a loss limit of Rs 50 to Rs 500 per game for online and fantasy gaming.

A sizable population in the survey believed that online and fantasy games should be perceived as an entertainment avenue and not as a way to earn or supplement livelihood and take undue risks.

Industry veterans looked at it differently.

“When games of skill are already a protected business activity under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution, there is no reason to object to players using their skills to earn money and supplement their livelihoods,” Landers said.