As we get more clarity with a definition of cryptocurrencies and digital assets, it might cause headaches to another burgeoning industry in India – online video games. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s announcement in the 2022 Union Budget of proposing a 30% tax on digital assets and cryptocurrencies has brought a flurry of reactions. Proponents ofRead more
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This post summaries the Madras HC judgement on real money games and discusses its key implications. Last week, the Madras High Court passed a landmark judgment in Junglee Games India Pvt. Ltd. v. State of Tamil Nadu(2021) SCC OnLine Mad 2762, where it struck down the February 2021 amendment to the Tamil Nadu Gaming Act that prohibited bettingRead more
Unpacking a Billion Dollar Industry: Digital games and sports in India is a report authored by Ikigai Law in association with the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). The report captures key industry trends, counters negative perceptions around gaming, and discusses key legal and policy challenges for the industry. The report is agnostic ofRead more
In the recent years, there have been many instances where national sports governing bodies were de-recognized for not complying with the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011 (Code). The Code is a collection of various documents issued by the Government over the past few decades concerning a wide range of subjects related to sportsRead more
A governance model in sport is necessary to ensure integrity of the sport and to protect rights of its stakeholders: the players, teams, publishers and competition organisers. The existing governance structures in traditional sports have developed over decades alongside the development of the sports. Foremost, a governance system requires a governing body accepted by allRead more
Player Contracts in e-Sports generally resemble those of traditional sportspersons. However, traditional sports are governed by well-developed regulatory frameworks, protecting the rights of teams and players. Such regulations ensure, among other things, contractual stability. The term “contractual stability” is often used in sports in relation to the set of rules and restrictions imposed on theRead more
Digital games qualify as ‘art’ and should allow the game developers the freedom of speech and expression. But, should players be permitted to engage in racist, sexist, or otherwise problematic speech, during tournaments that are sometimes broadcast to audiences around the world. Earlier, game developers had been lax in enforcing clear standards of behaviour forRead more
Unlike a pirate treasure chest, gaming loot boxes cannot be robbed. One needs to earn them – either by devoting in-game time or by spending real-world currency. But what happens if you spend 500 bucks buying a virtual loot box (anticipating to unlock a rare weapon), and all you get is a new t-shirt forRead more
The WHO classification The World Health Organisation (“WHO”) recently classified compulsive gaming as a mental health disorder, affecting both children and adults (“Gaming Disorder”), in the 11th revision to the International Classification of Diseases (“ICD”). The Gaming Disorder can be diagnosed if the following symptoms exist: Control over online gaming is impairedRead more
Fantasy sports are no longer an alien concept in India. With the introduction of gaming websites like Dream11, which recently became India’s first gaming Unicorn,[1] fantasy gaming has taken a front seat. According to a recent IFSG-KPMG report,[2] there are about 20 million fantasy gamers in India currently and this number is expected to riseRead more