India has announced a new set of rules to regulate the country’s online gambling sector. The draft legislation, published by India’s Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), will allow the creation of “self-regulatory bodies” tasked with establishing a framework of regulations for online gambling.
New Rules to Establish Self-Regulatory Bodies
The self-regulatory bodies will be comprised of experts from various disciplines, including online gaming, IT, psychology, medicine, and public policy.
Online gambling firms seeking to legally operate in India will be required to register their games with the regulators. The games need to be approved first by the regulators before being offered to Indian customers. They must not violate the “sovereignty and integrity of India”.
India’s Online Gambling Industry Poised for Massive Growth
Among key measures included in the legislation relate to customer protection, responsible gambling, and compliance policies. The draft rules are still subject to changes, with the MeitY conducting a consultation until January 17, 2023.
Online gambling has become increasingly popular in India, with the industry growing by 38% between 2017 and 2020. The sector is projected to generate US$5 billion in revenue by 2025, according to figures from global management consulting company BCG and venture capital firm Sequoia.