The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) released draft amendments to the IT (Intermediary Guidelines & Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, for public consultation on 2 January 2023. The draft rules pertain to online gaming and aim to protect users from potential harm.
The draft amendments announcement comes days after the government issued a gazette notification about a change in allocation of business rules, designating the MeitY as the nodal ministry for online gaming-related concerns.
The draft rules require the online gaming intermediaries to adhere to regulations, including preventing users from hosting games that violate Indian law, including any laws related to gambling or betting.
In addition, the online gaming intermediaries must: display a clear registration mark; publish random number generation and no bot certificates; make users aware of the risks and terms of service; establish verification methods; follow KYC guidelines; appoint resident grievance and compliance officers; possess a physical address in India; create a grievance redressal mechanism, and provide information to government agencies within 24 hours.
The MeitY may also register a self-regulatory body, which oversees the number of member intermediaries to promote responsible gaming. This body is expected to develop a framework for protecting users, resolving complaints, and continually updating protocols.
