Cabinet approves bill to regulate online gaming platforms; real money games may face ban
New Delhi, Aug 19 (PTI): Union Cabinet has approved a bill related to promotion and regulation of online gaming, and the government is likely to bar platforms offering any online money gaming service, a source said on Tuesday.
The bill is likely to be tabled in Parliament on Wednesday, the source added.
"The Cabinet has approved the bill to regulate online gaming platforms that involve real money. The government is trying to table the bill in Parliament on Wednesday," the source said on condition of anonymity.
The bill has taken into account significant mental health issues among users of online games, particularly those involving monetary incentives.
Sources said that the decision has come following observations from the government that online money gaming provides means to facilitate money laundering, fraudulent financial transactions, and cyber crime, among others.
As per the present legal framework in place, states and Union Territories are primarily responsible for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of crimes, including action on illegal betting and gambling.
Several real money gaming firms masquerading themselves as "game of skills" to differentiate themselves from betting or gambling platforms and avoid ban.
In June, Madras High Court had dismissed a petition filed by real money gaming platforms Play Games 24X7, Head Digital Works, Junglee Games and others challenging the ban imposed by the Tamil Nadu government.
The court rejected arguments of the real money gaming firms challenging jurisdiction of the state to regulate digital platforms as well as their argument to differentiate "games of chance" from the "game of skills".
The Tamil Nadu government, citing an expert committee report, said that online games involving real money have posed serious mental and physical health risks to the citizens, including suicides by some, in the state.
The court upheld that the state has full competence to pass legislation to govern matters affecting public health and rejected arguments challenging its power to ban game of skills involving real money.
The real money platforms had cited IT Rules 2021 of the Centre, saying that it has adequate safeguard for online games to defend themselves, but the court observed that it has not come into effect till then.
The Centre has also been taking a series of measures to block online betting and gambling platforms. It issued 1,524 orders from 2022 till June 2025 to block online betting and gambling platforms.
At present, Directorate General of GST Intelligence Headquarters is empowered under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the IGST Act to direct intermediaries to block unregistered online money gaming platforms, including offshore gaming platforms, violating the IGST Act.
The suppliers of online money gaming are also being regulated under the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (IGST Act).
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
