A high-level committee set up by the state government headed by the retired Madras High Court judge, Justice K. Chandru, had recommended a ban on online gaming. The committee submitted its report to Chief Minister MK Stalin on June 27.
Chief Secretary of State V. Irai Anbu held a meeting of senior officials on Saturday to ban online betting and gambling, but will not approve a strict ban on all online gambling. Instead, the government plans to restrict and regulate gaming and limit the time spent playing online games to once a day or once a week. The amount of money to be spent on online games will also be restricted.
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Why should online games be banned?
Seventeen people have committed suicide in the last three years due to online gaming. The commission constituted by the Government has issued a report that online games have become an addiction in nature for those who play and money is lost in large volumes.
The central government is also in talks with the states to introduce new legislation or changes to existing legislation to regulate the industry.
A study by the Union government pegged the number of people playing online games in the country at 400 million and it is expected to reach 700 million by 2025.
Various political parties in the state including Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) have been campaigning vociferously in the state to ban online gaming in the state.
However, government sources told IANS that if an outright ban is implemented this would result in several legal battles, so it is contemplating a regulation of the game and allowing only a restricted amount to be spent in a fixed period of time. . to play online games.
Source: IANS
