Five+ major reasons to regulate online gaming in India

Many feel that online gaming needs strong regulation (Image via Sportskeeda)

Online gaming has grown massively in India thanks to its vast population and availability of affordable internet. With the technology boom, more players are enjoying titles such as BGMI, FIFA and more daily.

It has even led many aspiring players to professionally compete and step out of their comfort zone. With that being said, the present scenario recalls the need for strong regulation of the segment, and there are concrete reasons why.

Online gaming is quite different from its traditional counterpart and has substantially evolved in recent years. As the internet has improved and become more accessible, players now prefer to enjoy titles with everyone.

There's always a dark side to anything, and the realm of internet-based gaming is no different. Aside from removing those dangers, there are certain concrete benefits to be had with proper regulation. While implementing regulations won't be easy in India, the concomitant advantages make it highly beneficial for everyone involved.

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Regulation of online gaming in India is crucial and beneficial

The most salient feature of regulation will be the benefits of legalization and its added merits. For starters, the government will be able to monitor the products released in the market. While this could lead to problems like excessive censoring, there are numerous gains to be had.

There have been instances where the quality of games available in the market has been questionable. Proper regulation will prevent developers from becoming complacent and deceiving their playerbase.

The benefits of legalization and regulation come from taxation and added revenue for the government. It's hard to generate revenue sustainably from something that doesn't exist on paper. Regulation can solve this issue and allow the Indian economy to get a much-required boost.

Regulations can also help change the overview of online gaming and people's perception of it. Once the typical mindset can be altered, the parents of aspiring professionals will begin to acknowledge the gaming industry.

This will help open up new avenues for many youngsters in the nation. The unemployment and job crisis has been a debilitating issue for a long time. In that regard, the gaming industry could provide significant relief.

Data privacy has become a booming issue of late, which has seen the Indian government ban several existing games. The stringent regulations will allow the government to set up a code that could be self-explanatory. Such tactics will allow for greater transparency and prevent deception.

Finally, rigid regulations in online gaming will help to filter out deplorable elements. Developers with nefarious plans will be discouraged as they won't be able to violate the safety net of the regulations.

There have been several promoters for the enforcement of online gaming regulations. Felicia Wijkander, Chief Editor at SevenJackpots, reckons there has been a long need for strict measures in the country:

"At the end of the day, regulations are there to protect people, and it's proven that countries that regulate gambling aren't only able to ensure that players are using a safe product but are also ensuring that licensed operators are contributing to the welfare of the country in the means of tax and licensing fees."

Wijkanders also believes that blanket bans hardly do any good and promote illegal trade and money laundering:

"The option for players in a "blanket ban market" is foreign casinos, which means that money will seep out from India into the pockets of offshore gaming companies."

With that being said, it remains to be seen if the overriding opinion will culminate in the implementation of a sound regulatory system for online gaming.