India finally recognizes Gaming as E-Sports

On December 27, 2022, The Government of India finally recognized E-Sports (Electronic Sports) as a part of Multi-sports events. E-Sports will eventually be taken care of by the Department of Sports under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. It’s added to the matters relating to online gaming section under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). Is e-sports legal in India + officially recognized? Yes, yes, yes.

This monumental decision will be a huge benefit to the country as official recognition will further promote the growth of this sector in India. It feels evident to us to deny how hard the Indian Esports Industry has been fighting to not come under the umbrella term “Gaming”.

Gaming is not limited after India recognizes E-Sports 

Recently, the Indian government also announced that there would be no plans to limit the time spent on online gaming. Whereas countries like China limits the time spent by underage gamers (under 18) to three hours per week. E-Sports is finally legal ‘legal’, in India. Not that it was ever illegal ‘illegal’ if you know what I mean. The stigma pending gaming in the average Indian household still seems stellar, however. But that’s a social change that’s due in a queue after such policy changes.

  • Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, was asked by other MPs quite a few times about limiting the time on gaming. But Chandrasekhar elaborated that the government does know about the risks and challenges of online gaming.
  • And as of now, the government has implemented rules that require intermediaries to prevent the spread of harmful information as well as comply with the rules and laws.
  • As the Government ponders the regulations of E-Sports in India, a new force sets in to look into this matter. This so-called “task force” is specifically made to differentiate and categorize games of skill and chance-based games. Which involves the real use of money.

How are the other big E-Sports team of India reacting to this decision?

indian e-sports gaming industry
Indian Gaming Expo 2018

At the 8bit Creatives & S8UL BootCamp, it has been a defining moment for them. In their opinion, the future of India holds great things from their side. They are committed to nurturing and supporting more and more esports players in our country, starting from ground zero with a refined vision of putting India on the map globally.

The gamers of India always demanded E-Sports to be included in the curriculum and other multiple events after it got included in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games as a demonstration sport. But, the medals won in the sport were not counted in the official overall medals tally. 

Concluding

How the UK gaming industry became a multi-billion-pound sector
SOURCE: Photo

The amount of impact this recognition has made is unimaginable. India has anyway been at the forefront of the unfolding gaming landscape for quite a good while. Numerous conventions, conferences, and a growing number of corporate interests now bind India to the top spot for a developing e-sports hub.


SOURCES: theprint, thehindu

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