Just a fortnight ago, the popular battle royale game Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) made its comeback after a 10-month ban. To be allowed back in the country, the game had to make changes, including removing the element of blood as well as adding a daily time limit for users and not transferring data abroad. But now, it appears that another wave of bans can come, as per a recent statement given by Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
In an interview with ANI, Chandrasekhar said, “For the first time, we have prepared a framework regarding online gaming, in that we will not allow three types of games in the country. Games that involve betting or can be harmful to the user and that involve a factor of addiction will be banned in the country”.
Popular game titles can soon be banned in India
This statement would also explain why BGMI had to add a time limit to its game if the government is aiming to bring down the addictiveness of online games. The framework may also ask questions about games that have lottery-style in-app purchases, where users have a chance of winning specific in-game items instead of directly buying them.
Chandrasekhar has not mentioned any names of games but some reports suggest that games like Candy Crush, Call of Duty Mobile (CODM), and Coin Master could fall under these categories.
Earlier, the Union Minister also spoke about the government planning a regulatory framework for artificial intelligence in order to protect the ‘digital citizen’.
“Our approach towards AI regulation is very simple. We will regulate AI as we regulate Web 3 or any emerging technologies to ensure they do not harm digital citizens,” Union Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, Skill Development, Electronics, and Technology said at a press conference to highlight the digital initiatives taken by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government so far,” he had said.
