Meghalaya Approves Ordinance to Regulate Online Gaming

2021 certainly seems to have started off on the right foot for the real-money gaming sector in India. After a horrendous 2020 that saw most south Indian states closing the doors on the industry, the dark clouds have finally parted, with Meghalaya passing an ordinance last week that looks to regulate the online gaming industry instead of outright banning it.

Meghalaya is now the third state after Nagaland and Sikkim on the verge of officially legalizing online gaming. Under the Nagaland Prohibition of Gambling and Promotion & Regulation of Online Games of Skill Act and Rules, 2016, aka Nagaland Act, the state government has issued online skill game licenses to several real-money operators. Simultaneously, real-money online games, including poker, are legal in Sikkim under the Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulation) Rules 2009.

Cabinet minister James K. Sangma, in a press conference on January 14, announced that the state government has approved the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Ordinance, 2021, which is aimed at regulating online gaming.

Sangma said gaming today has emerged as one of the most popular pastimes globally, and Meghalaya is no exception. The decision was reportedly made after taking the views of the law and finance departments.

The motive behind the move is to increase the revenue collection of the state. The Meghalaya taxation department has decided that any person dealing with online gaming will have to obtain a license.

“In order to regulate gaming within the state and to bring revenue to the state government, we felt it necessary to enact a law for the same, and therefore, the cabinet has approved the draft ordinance,” Sangma said.

“Online gaming is an industry which is quite a big industry in the entire world and today in Meghalaya it is going on, and unfortunately we don’t have a regulatory mechanism, but it is something already going on, so we have to have measures to regulate that,” he added.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma tweeted to announce the passing of the ordinance.

To regulate gaming within #Meghalaya and to bring revenue to the State Government, Cabinet today approved the ????????? ?????????? ?? ?????? ?????????, ????. @nsitharaman @FinMinIndia pic.twitter.com/ortFfaC97p

— Conrad Sangma (@SangmaConrad) January 14, 2021

This is a much-needed shot in the arm for India’s online gaming domain and hopefully will go a long way in making it more acceptable for other states to follow suit.