Online gaming has no doubt contributed to the large growth of the overall gaming industry around the world. In 2022, India alone recorded around 421 million online gamers. This number represents an 80% growth from 2021 and it is projected to hit 442 million in 2023. The same research further states that about 90 million of the 421 million online gamers made online gaming purchases in 2023.
Like every other big industry, it is important to protect online gaming consumers. Those 90 million people have to be protected so as not to be exploited by companies. Unfortunately, India does not have solid regulations guiding online gaming at the moment. Thus, there’s no specific policy that is designed to protect online gamers. Nevertheless, there is the Consumer Protection Act, of 2019. There have also been efforts to provide strict regulations for online gaming. In this article, we will discuss how online gaming consumers are protected in the country.
The Consumer Protection Act, 2019
Whenever you purchase items or pay for services on online gaming platforms, you can be considered a consumer according to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. If there are any issues, aggrieved consumers are allowed to file complaints with the Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission at any level (district, state, or national). If there’s any deficiency on the side of the service provider, they’ll be answerable to the commission. However, to be protected under this law, you must acquire services only from apps and online platforms that operate legally in India.
Online Gaming Regulations Bill, 2022
Not long ago, a bill that aims to lay down an effective regulation of the online gaming market to prevent fraud was presented in the Lok Sabha. The Online Gaming Bill, 2022 features 20 sections and is spread over 3 chapters. It aims to create an online gaming commission whose authority and operations will be derived from the Bill.
However, the bill had many drawbacks. Firstly, it did not differentiate between games of chance and games of skill. It also does not clarify if its recommendations will be applied to both real money and free games.
The bill also fails to protect consumers entirely. It does not cover important factors like users’ data protection, responsible gaming policies, advertising guidelines, customer complaints methods, and Know Your Customers (KYC) rules.
How Responsible Gambling is ensured At Online Casinos
Except in the few states that have banned online gambling, millions of Indians in other places play real money games at online casinos. Fortunately, the best casino apps in India are hosted in countries where there are strict online gaming consumers’ protection policies.
Top Indian casino sites and apps are regulated by agencies like the Curacao eGaming Authority, Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), and the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). All these agencies have strict responsible gaming policies which casino operators follow.
For example, all MGA-regulated online casinos are required to provide restriction tools for players to control their gaming activities. These tools include deposit limits, wagering limits, session limits, reality checks, self-exclusion, and cool-off. With these tools, players can control how much they deposit, wager, and how much time they use on real money games.
In addition, these casino sites also have robust responsible gambling pages that provide helpful information. These pages provide tips for players to quickly identify when they have a gambling problem and show them how to get help.
Responsible gambling regulations also include policies like KYC and protection against underage gambling. With strict KYC policies, online casinos can protect their users from fraud and also prevent money laundering. They also keep underage and vulnerable people from gambling.
-Content provided by Adverloom