India considers standardising gaming regulations

A think tank has proposed an independent regulatory body idea for fantasy sports. The industry wants it to cover all skill-based gaming.

India.- The skill-based gaming industry has welcomed a government think tank’s proposal to standardise regulations for fantasy gaming across the country but wants the body to cover all skill-based games.

The think tank NITI Aayog recently released a report called “Guiding Principles for the Uniform National-Level Regulation of Online Fantasy Sports Platforms in India.”

It proposes that the government create a self-regulated body for fantasy sports gaming, mainly in light of the recent attention the games have received in the media.

Now the wider skill-based games industry is calling for such a body to be expanded to the whole sector.

Several operators have proposed that such a body would also help ensure that tax payments from the industry are paid correctly and that illegal operators are shut down.

The word of the industry

Sameer Barde, CEO of The Online Rummy Federation, said: “It is a brilliant move to have fair regulations for the online skill gaming industry in India.

But at the same time, it is paramount to understand that fantasy games are only a part of the entire skill gaming industry. There is an equal, if not a larger need, to regulate the broader skill gaming industry.”

Bhavin Pandya, co-founder and CEO of Games24x7, said: “NITI Aayog should take a more forward looking view and recommend a framework for all games of skill.”

“In law, there is no distinction between fantasy sports and any other game of skill.”