Consider the following statements:

Statement I:A self-regulatory body formally recognized by the Government of India for the real money gaming (RMG) sector has issued a Code of Ethics for its members.

Statement II:The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023 require RMG firms to submit to a self-regulatory body (SRB), similar to the system in place for OTT streaming services.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

The correct answer is option 3.

In News

• Three major industry associations in the real money gaming (RMG) sector—the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), the E-Gaming Federation (EGF), and the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS)—recently released a Code of Ethics for their members. However, the Government of India has not formally recognized any self-regulatory body (SRB) proposed by RMG firms.

Key Points

• While a Code of Ethics has been introduced, it was issued by industry associations, not by a government-recognized self-regulatory body.
  •  Hence, Statement I is incorrect.
• The IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023 mandate that RMG firms submit to a self-regulatory body (SRB), similar to the system used for OTT platforms. However, no SRB has received formal recognition from the government yet.
  •  Hence, Statement II is correct.

Additional Information

• The RMG sector is awaiting regulatory clarity, as different states have imposed varying restrictions.
• The Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority (TNOGA) has introduced strict limits on RMG platforms.
• The industry faces a 28% GST burden, which has significantly impacted its operations.