DMK cites Bill awaiting Guv’s nod as Vaishnaw moots e-gaming act

NEW DELHI: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday stressed the need for a central law to strictly regulate online gaming and gambling in the country even though the subject comes under the jurisdiction of states and many of them have taken measures to deal with it.

Replying to questions on the issue in Lok Sabha, the Union Minister for Communications, Electronics and Information Technology said there was a need for a consensus among states on the issue, saying a central law is required to be enacted to regulate online gaming and gambling in the country as there is no meaning of state boundary in the digital world. He also called for a consensus among all political parties on the issue.

“As per Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, betting and gambling comes in the State list,” he said. As many as 19 states and UTs have enacted their own laws, replacing the previous ones, the minister said.

Appreciating the minister’s view that there should be a consensus, DMK member T Sumathy sought to draw Vaishnaw’s attention to the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill 2022 which is still awaiting assent of Governor RN Ravi since the Assembly passed it last year.

“More than 40 youths have died in TN since the Bill was passed in the Assembly and awaiting assent,” she said. “Now my question is how does the government (Centre) proposes to ensure that the Bill actually ends up seeing the light of the day,” she asked, adding, “Does it also intend to ensure that other states also bring up their own legislations until a common legislation is brought forth by the Union government.”

In reply, the minister said, “If there is something happening in a particular state, I think this House should not be commenting on that.”