A new bill aimed at regulating and banning specific forms of online gaming was brought to the Lok Sabha on Wednesday as opposition protests continued over the voter list revision exercise in Bihar.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw introduced the legislation while opposition members shouted slogans and held up placards in protest.
Congress MP Manish Tewari was invited to voice his objection to the bill at the introduction stage but declined, stating that the House should first address the ongoing issue regarding Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision process.
RSP leader N K Premachandran also opted not to speak, maintaining that the House was not in a proper state to proceed with discussion.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticized the opposition, remarking that the level of disruption had become so severe that even schoolchildren were mocking the behavior of lawmakers.
As the commotion persisted, P C Mohan who was chairing the session decided to adjourn proceedings until two in the afternoon.
The bill proposes to ban real-money online gaming and related advertisements while introducing penalties including fines or imprisonment for violators. It clearly distinguishes between gambling-based platforms and eSports or casual online games.
The proposed legislation also encourages the development and promotion of eSports and social gaming platforms.
