A New Book ‘Online Gaming in India: Technology, Policy, and Challenges’ Illuminates the Path Forward For India’s Online Gaming Industry

The online gaming industry in India is experiencing explosive growth, rapidly becoming a driving force in the digital economy. But this burgeoning industry faces a unique set of challenges. How can we harness the power of emerging technologies? What legal and policy frameworks are needed to ensure sustainable and responsible growth?

A groundbreaking new book from the National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS), “Online Gaming in India: Technology, Policy, and Challenges,” provides critical insights and a clear roadmap for the future. Edited by leading academics Prof. Dr. Shameek Sen and Prof. Dr. Lovely Dasgupta, this book offers an in-depth look at the forces shaping India’s gaming scene.

Published by Chapman & Hall, UK, and available via Routledge’s platform for scholarly works, the book is designed for professionals, academics, and students in law, technology, and allied fields, serving as an essential resource for understanding the implications of this fast-growing sector.

This book isn’t just about theory; it’s about providing real-world solutions for anyone involved in the online gaming industry. By examining the intersection of law, technology, and economics, it will help players, operators, and policymakers alike understand the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Here are some of the key areas it tackles:

• Emerging Technologies: The book delves into how cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, Web3, and the metaverse are reshaping the gaming world. It analyzes the potential of these technologies to revolutionize skill-based games like poker and elevate them to a global stage.
• Regulatory Frameworks: “Online Gaming in India” provides a comprehensive comparison of Indian gaming regulations with those in other countries, offering valuable lessons for policymakers in India. This is especially important for games like poker, which often exist in a grey area between games of skill and games of chance. Clear and well-defined regulations are crucial for establishing legitimacy and promoting growth.
• Fantasy Gaming and Real Money Games: The book examines the rise of fantasy sports and other real-money games, emphasizing the need for balanced regulations that protect consumers while encouraging innovation. This is good news for poker, which is a significant part of the real-money gaming sector.

The book launch, organized by NUJS’s Centre for Technology, Entertainment, and Sports Law (CTESL) at the India International Centre in New Delhi last week, featured a distinguished panel of speakers, including:

• Justice Vikramjit Sen: (Retired Supreme Court Judge)
• Justice Sanjib Banerjee: (Retired Chief Justice of the Madras and Meghalaya High Courts)
• Vikramjit Banerjee: (Additional Solicitor General of India)
• Y.K. Sinha: (Former Chief Information Commissioner of India)
• Dr. Yatan Pal Singh Balhara: (Professor of Psychiatry at AIIMS, New Delhi)
• Sudipta Bhattacharjee: (Partner at Khaitan & Co.)
• Arjya B Majumdar: (Professor at Jindal Global Law School)
• Jay Sayta: (Technology and gaming lawyer)
• Amrit Kiran Singh: (Founder President of the Skill Online Games Institute)

These experts emphasized the book’s importance as a guiding resource for the industry. Justice Vikramjit Sen praised the book’s comprehensive research: “This beautifully compiled resource is a must-read for anyone with even a remote interest in gaming. It empowers readers to draw informed conclusions about this promising sector.”

Amrit Kiran Singh highlighted the book’s value for policymakers: “Fragmenting the gaming industry would harm the ease of doing business. This book, paired with the ‘Skill-Chance Framework,’ offers the tools regulators need for balanced governance.”

A Winning Hand For Poker

For the Indian poker community, this book is a game-changer (pun intended!). Poker often faces an uphill battle due to its ambiguous legal status. Is it a game of skill, or is it just gambling? The recent recognition of poker as a mind sport by the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA) was a huge win, but this book provides even more ammunition in the fight for legitimacy.

• Skill-Based Advocacy: The book’s in-depth analysis of the ‘Skill-Chance Framework’ provides a strong foundation for arguing that poker is indeed a game of skill. This is crucial for shaping regulations that support its growth.
• Economic Powerhouse: The online poker industry creates jobs and contributes significant tax revenue. The book highlights how supportive policies can further boost these economic benefits.
• Tech-Driven Transformation: The book also explores how advancements in AI and blockchain technology are already improving the online poker experience, making it more secure and user-friendly.

India’s online gaming industry is on the verge of explosive growth, but it needs the right policies to reach its full potential. This book calls for regulations that strike a balance between fostering innovation and protecting consumers – a crucial need for poker platforms. Clear, consistent rules will attract investment and give players the confidence they need to participate.