Karnataka’s ban on online gaming will unintentionally hurt legitimate businesses: AIGF
The Hindu
All India Gaming Federation says Bill fails to make a clear distinction between games of skill and games of chance
The All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) has expressed its unhappiness with the Karnataka government’s proposed ban on online gambling on the ground that the Karnataka Police (Amendment) Compliance Act, 2021 does not make a clear distinction between games of skill and games of chance. It has sought a meeting with the Karnataka government to make a representation on behalf of the gaming industry.
Skill-based gaming cannot be compared with gambling, and banning is not a solution, argues AIGF CEO Roland Landers. It will have an adverse impact on the online gaming industry, which has been growing at a CAGR of over 25% in the last few years, and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. “As people have been home-bound during COVID-19, online skill-based gaming has enabled them to stay connected with peers and friends. This has resulted in 1.5x growth for the sector year-on-year. Today, there are over 350 million online gamers in India, with sizable participation from Karnataka,” said Mr. Landers, adding that many are professional players who have built a career based on skill-based online gaming in the international arena.
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