In a statement issued today, the Internet and Mobile Association of India, the largest trade body representing consumer internet companies in India, has said that it is best suited to form the proposed Self-Regulatory Organisation for online gaming. The association was responding to two recent developments. First under the rules of business notified on 26 December 2022, vide which the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology was made responsible for formulating rules and regulations for online gaming and second, media reports that the Ministry was working on creating an SRO for the online gaming sector.
Reacting to these developments, IAMAI president Subho Ray said, “Given our hands-on experience in running a Ministry of Information and Broadcasting mandated and registered SRO for Online Curated Content Companies and another industry driven SRO with the support of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs for the EduTech Sector we are best suited to set up and manage the Online Gaming SRO. Also, given our wide range of membership in the online games of skill segment, we would be able to pull various types of skill based online gaming firms into the SRO”.
The association is also of the view that matters relating to online gaming going to MeitY is a strong signal by the government to encourage this segment to grow in a regulated and orderly fashion while at the same time create proper institutional mechanisms for redressal of consumer grievances.