The RVOS (regulation) Bill 2022 ignores most of the pay to play casual games like rummy and poker. MPL At a time when the online gaming industry is groping in the dark on the quantum of GST it will pay, a draft version of the Rajasthan Virtual Online Sports (Regulation) Bill 2022 has set the cat among the pigeons. (More Sports News)
In a welcome move to bring legislation to regulate online skill-based games , the Rajasthan Virtual Online Sports (Regulation) Bill 2022 seems focused on fantasy sports and completely ignores popular pay-to-play casual games like ludo, rummy and poker.
There is of course some cheer for esports operators. The Bill, which is being seen as horribly lopsided by the industry, accommodates esports which is now a medal event in the Asian Games and recognised by the International Olympic Committee. The 20-page draft looks tailormade for fantasy operators. Rajasthan has one of the highest concentrations (15-20 per cent) of the fantasy sports business.
“The draft Rajasthan Virtual Online Sports (Regulation) Bill, 2022 leaves a lot to be desired. It is unclear why the state government has decided to regulate only fantasy sports and esports while leaving out other skill-based games like rummy, poker etc,” points out tech and gaming lawyer Jay Sayta.
In Chapter 3 dealing with the administration and regulation of virtual online sports , the draft interestingly makes provision for a ‘private’ self-regulatory body to work under a commission consisting of a retired High Court/Supreme Court judge, a retired government servant not below the rank of secretary and a person having vast experience in the field of sports and sports federations. UNFAIRPLAY
Industry sources are worried that if a private self-regulatory body enjoys sweeping powers like “to issue directions or orders for compliance with the code of ethics and governance and “to evaluate, certify and approve a format,” it could lead to confusion and conflict of interest.
In the field of online gaming, the leading body is the All India Gaming Federation. It has about 30 members consisting of multi-gaming platforms like MPL, Paytm First Games and Games 24×7 among […]
Click here to view original web page at www.outlookindia.com
