Registration Mandatory for E-Sports; New Online Gaming Rules from May 1

New rules for online gaming will come into effect from May 1 in India. The government has established the Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI) as the regulatory body, which will begin operations from this date.

The authority will function digitally, and its Chairman will be the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and IT. Joint Secretaries from the Departments of Economic Affairs, Information & Broadcasting, and Sports & Youth Affairs will serve as members.

OGAI will decide which types of online games require registration. However, it has been clearly stated that real-money online games will remain banned, and their operation will not be permitted. Legal action will be taken against those violating this rule.

According to the notification issued by the IT Ministry, social gaming platforms will not require registration. However, registration will be mandatory for e-sports, as they involve prize money.

The Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs will define e-sports and related guidelines, while OGAI will have the authority to classify gaming categories. Detailed guidelines are expected to be issued in the near future.

OGAI will also have the power to investigate online gaming platforms in case of any suspicion. Registration rules may include verification of the origin of the game, such as the country where it was developed.

All online games will be required to include user safety features, which will be defined by OGAI. There is also a possibility that age limits may be introduced, especially for e-sports participation.

The government is also monitoring betting apps operated from foreign countries. According to IT Secretary S. Krishnan, such apps are being continuously blocked.

Concerns have also been raised about betting activities during state elections through foreign apps using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). However, since many VPNs are legally used, it is not possible to ban all VPN services.