This blog captures Ikigai Law’s interview with Mr. Rakesh Maheshwari on the amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, to regulate online gaming. In April, Rutuja Pol (Lead, Government Affairs) and Shambhavi Ravishankar (Consultant) spoke to Mr. Rakesh Maheshwari on the online gaming amendments (Amendments) to the InformationRead more
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This post covers the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022 and its interplay with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 A. Background In October 2022, the Tamil Nadu state government published an ordinance to regulate online gaming and subsequently passed a billRead more
This post summarises the recent amendments to the IT Rules 2021 to regulate online gaming. A. Overview This note captures the key takeaways of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)’s amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (IT Rules 2021) to regulate online gaming (the Amendment). TheRead more
This post provides an overview of the Rajasthan Virtual Online Sports (Regulation) Bill, 2022 and our comments to the Bill EDIT: Our comments to the draft Rajasthan Virtual Online Sports (Regulation) Bill, 2022 refer to the exit of MPL and My11Circle from the industry body FIFS in April 2022. Subsequent to the exit, three companiesRead more
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
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