Content

1. Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025
2. Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan (2025)

Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025

Context and Rationale

• Digital Economy Shift: Online gaming has emerged as one of the fastest-growing digital sectors in India (projected at $8.6 bn by 2027).
• Triple Dimension of Gaming:
  • E-sports → constructive, competitive, skill-based.
  • Online social games → casual, recreational, educational.
  • Online money games → exploitative, involving gambling-like elements.
• Public Health Concerns: WHO classified gaming disorder in ICD-11, highlighting addiction, loss of control, and harmful persistence.
• Indian Scenario:
  • 45 crore people adversely affected by online money games (Govt estimate).
  • ₹20,000+ crore financial losses due to addiction-driven gaming.
  • Reported rise in suicides linked to money-game debts.
• Legal Gap: Betting & gambling prohibited under state laws + Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (2023), but online gaming largely unregulated.

Relevance : GS 2(Social Issues , Governance)

Why the Bill Was Needed

• Addiction & Debt Trap: Young and middle-class families vulnerable.
• Mental Health & Suicides: Direct link with financial distress.
• Fraud & Money Laundering: Offshore gaming platforms used for laundering illegal money.
• National Security: Some platforms misused for terror financing & illegal messaging.
• Regulatory Vacuum: Lack of consistent central law created jurisdictional issues across states.
• Promotion of Healthy Alternatives: Needed a framework to promote esports & constructive digital creativity.

Key Features of the Bill

Applicability

• Extends to entire India + offshore platforms offering services within India.

Promotion and Recognition of E-sports

• Declared a legitimate competitive sport.
• Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports to frame standards, tournaments, academies, tech hubs.
• Incentives for players & awareness campaigns to integrate esports into mainstream sports.

Promotion of Social & Educational Games

• Govt powers to recognise, certify, and promote age-appropriate, educational, cultural, or skill-oriented games.
• Creation of safe platforms to distribute such content.

Prohibition of Online Money Games

• Complete ban on games involving financial stakes (chance, skill, or hybrid).
• Ban extends to advertisement, promotion, and financial transactions.
• RBI & banks barred from processing payments related to such platforms.
• Power to block access under Section 69A of IT Act, 2000.

Establishment of an Online Gaming Authority

• Regulatory body for categorisation, registration, grievance redressal.
• Authority empowered to decide whether a game is skill/social or money game.
• Can issue guidelines, codes of practice, directions.

Offences and Penalties

• Offering/facilitating money games → up to 3 years jail + ₹1 crore fine.
• Advertising money games → up to 2 years jail + ₹50 lakh fine.
• Repeat offenders → harsher (5 years jail + ₹2 crore fine).
• Cognisable & non-bailable offences.

Corporate and Institutional Liability

• Companies + responsible officers liable.
• Independent/non-executive directors exempt if due diligence proven.

Investigation & Enforcement

• Central Government authorised to empower officers for search, seizure, arrests without warrant.
• Investigations under Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

Rule-Making Powers

• Central Govt empowered to frame rules for e-sports promotion, recognition of games, functioning of authority.

Linkages with Existing Legal Framework

• IT Act, 2000: Section 69A used to block >1,500 betting/gambling sites since 2022.
• IT Rules, 2021 (Amended 2023): Online intermediaries accountable; registration with Self-Regulatory Bodies (SRBs).
• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023: Sections 111–112 penalise unlawful betting, cyber fraud.
• IGST Act, 2017: Offshore platforms brought under taxation net.
• Consumer Protection Act, 2019: Bans misleading ads; CCPA action against celebrities promoting betting apps.
• Advisories: MIB (ads), MoE (guidelines for parents/teachers on safe gaming).
• Cybercrime Mechanisms: National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal + Helpline 1930.

Expected Benefits

Societal

• Protection of Families: Shields youth and middle class from addiction-driven debt.
• Safer Digital Space: Eliminates predatory platforms.
• Mental Health Safeguard: Prevents stress and suicides.

Economic

• Boost to Creative Economy: E-sports & educational gaming → jobs, exports, innovation.
• Global Competitiveness: India positioned as hub for safe gaming tech & esports.

Policy & Governance

• Closing Loopholes: Brings digital domain under same restrictions as physical gambling.
• Global Leadership: Model for responsible regulation balancing innovation & social protection.

Challenges in Implementation

• Extraterritorial Jurisdiction: Offshore betting servers may bypass restrictions using VPNs/crypto.
• Enforcement Capacity: Requires strong cyber-policing, tech monitoring.
• Balancing Innovation vs Regulation: Ensuring esports/social games don’t get caught in red tape.
• State vs Centre: Gaming traditionally a “State subject”; Centre legislating may face federal pushback.
• Addiction Beyond Money Games: Even non-money esports/social games can lead to overuse.

Strategic Significance

• Digital Sovereignty: Asserts India’s control over digital economy.
• Youth Empowerment: E-sports as a new career stream.
• National Security: Closes a channel for terror financing.
• Social Justice: Protects vulnerable groups (youth, lower & middle-income families).

Conclusion

• The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 is both protective and promotional.
• It bans exploitative online money games while nurturing safe, skill-based, and creative digital spaces.
• Represents India’s balanced digital policy model: innovation + responsibility.
• Strengthens India’s image as a global leader in responsible gaming regulation.
• Long-term success depends on strict enforcement, inter-agency coordination, and international cooperation against offshore betting networks.

Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan (2025)

Background & Context

• Tribal Demography: ~10.45 crore Scheduled Tribe population (2011 Census), spread across 550+ districts in 30 States/UTs, often living in remote areas with governance gaps.
• Persistent Issues: Last-mile delivery failures, lack of grassroots leadership, health challenges (e.g., sickle cell anaemia), and socio-economic exclusion.
• Policy Continuity: Builds on recent tribal initiatives – PM JANMAN (2023), Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission.
• Vision: Aligned with Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh (tribal pride year) and long-term Viksit Bharat@2047.
• Guiding Philosophy: Sewa (Service), Sankalp (Resolve), Samarpan (Dedication) – reinforcing PM’s inclusive development motto: “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Prayas, Sabka Vishwas.”

Relevance : GS 1(Society) , GS 2(Social Issues , Governance)

Objectives of the Abhiyan

• Responsive Governance: Institutionalise people-centric, accountable governance at village/community level.
• Capacity-Building through Governance Labs: Multi-departmental Process Labs from State → District → Block → Village, training master trainers and frontline workers.
• Vision-Building: Co-create “1 Lakh Tribal Villages – Vision 2030” with communities + officials, focusing on local action plans, investments, and scheme convergence.
• Leadership Development: Build a network of 20 lakh tribal change leaders (Karmayogis) across India to sustain reforms.
• Inclusive Participation: Engage youth, SHGs, Anganwadi/ASHA workers, PRI members, tribal elders, and professionals.
• Scheme Saturation: Ensure every eligible tribal household/village avails all government benefits.

Structural Design of the Programme

Institutional Mechanisms

• Adi Sewa Kendras:
  • One-stop village-level centres for service delivery.
  • Activities: Adi Sewa Samay (fortnightly service/mentoring), Seva Hour (weekly grievance redressal), Seva Day (monthly service delivery drives).
• Responsive Governance Groups: At District & Block levels to provide sustained mentorship and coordinate activities.
• Civil Society Partnerships: NGOs, CSOs, and Sahyogis as field facilitators/mentors.

Capacity-Building Model

• Governance Labs / Process Labs: Structured training hubs for master trainers.
• Curriculum Focus: Responsive governance, grievance redressal, participatory planning, social mobilisation, and convergence.
• Cascade Model: Master Trainers → Frontline Workers → Community Volunteers → Villagers.

Volunteer Ecosystem

• Adi Sahyogi: Professionals (teachers, doctors, skilled mentors).
• Adi Saathi: SHG leaders, NRLM members, PRI representatives, tribal youth, elders.
• Village Karmayogis: Trained grassroots leaders ensuring scheme delivery.

Core Components

• Adi Sewa Kendra: Anchor of participatory governance at village level.
• Governance Labs: Workshops to co-create local solutions, multi-departmental integration.
• Tribal Village Vision 2030: Participatory planning aligned with SDGs + national priorities.
• Community Leadership Training: Skill-building for youth, women, and traditional leaders.
• Wall Paintings & Participatory Exercises: Tools for community mobilisation and vision-building.
• Real-Time Documentation: Local innovations, feedback, success stories → fed upward to district/state for policy refinement.

Expected Outcomes

Governance

• Institutionalised grassroots leadership model for tribals.
• Enhanced responsiveness and accountability of government at local level.
• Stronger last-mile delivery of schemes (health, education, livelihoods).

Community Development

• Empowered cadre of 20 lakh tribal change leaders by 2030.
• Creation of Tribal Village Action Plans with convergence of multiple schemes.
• Reduction in governance gap between tribal and non-tribal areas.

Socio-Economic

• Greater participation of tribals in decision-making.
• Increased digital & administrative literacy among tribal youth/women.
• Better utilisation of government funds and schemes.

National Vision

• Tribal empowerment as central to Viksit Bharat@2047.
• Model for community-led development that balances tradition with modern governance.

Linkages with Other Programmes

• PM JANMAN (Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan) – focused on PVTG development.
• National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (2023–2047) – addresses key health issue.
• Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan – improving tribal villages’ socio-economic indicators.
• NRLM & SHG ecosystem – women’s empowerment.

Challenges in Implementation

• Geographical Accessibility: Remote tribal areas with poor connectivity.
• Capacity Constraints: Need sustained training to avoid leadership burnout.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Risk of imposing top-down models that may clash with tribal traditions.
• Sustainability: Volunteer motivation and continuous funding for Sewa Kendras.
• Inter-departmental Convergence: Requires effective coordination across ministries/departments.
• Monitoring & Evaluation: Need robust real-time systems to track progress in 1 lakh villages.

Strategic Significance

• Governance Innovation: First attempt at systematised grassroots leadership training at national scale.
• Empowerment of Marginalised: Institutionalises tribal voices in development planning.
• Responsive Governance Model: Could be replicated for other vulnerable communities (Dalits, minorities).
• Nation-Building: Ensures tribals are active partners in India@2047 journey, not passive beneficiaries.

Conclusion

• Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan (2025) is not merely a welfare programme but a governance transformation mission.
• Moves from “delivery of schemes to tribals” → “development with tribals”.
• By building a cadre of 20 lakh trained tribal leaders, it creates institutional capacity within communities.
• If executed effectively, it will:
  • Reduce exclusion,
  • Strengthen democracy at the grassroots, and
  • Position India as a global leader in participatory tribal governance models.