Stakeholders flag concerns over safe content guidelines in Online Gaming Act; cite global standards
Stakeholders have pointed out that most games on global platforms like Apple’s App Store, Google Play, Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation, and Xbox already comply with established international rating systems.
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India’s online gaming sector has welcomed the government’s move to bring regulatory clarity through the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, but industry stakeholders have raised several concerns over aspects of the proposed framework, particularly around content regulation, grievance redressal, terminology, and the lack of incentives for social games.
Under the new draft law, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has been given responsibility for regulating and promoting online social games, while a newly formed Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI) will oversee the broader sector. The framework introduces a five-year certification regime for e-sports and social games, requiring registration and compliance with user safety standards.
While the classification of online social games as distinct from online money games and e-sports has been widely appreciated, industry players caution that certain provisions could create new layers of regulatory complexity, increase compliance costs for smaller developers, and risk misalignment with international practices.
Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming, described the move as a landmark step for the industry. “By bringing esports firmly under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, the government has recognised esports as a legitimate sport while creating a framework for structured growth. This should accelerate grassroots programs, open the door for state and district-level championships, and ensure players see a clear career pathway much like traditional sports. It also boosts investor and sponsor confidence, which is critical to scaling prize pools, infrastructure, and IP development,” he said.
Rathee added that the composition, impartiality, and industry knowledge of the proposed OGAI would be critical. “We expect that the right stakeholders, those who have worked on this industry since its inception and deeply understand the ecosystem, will be included to guide it forward. Esports is one of the most aspirational industries for India’s youth, and this step ensures that companies like NODWIN Gaming can continue to build a sustainable, world-class ecosystem that competes globally while remaining rooted in India’s sporting fabric,” he noted.
Concerns Over Safe Content Guidelines
A major point of contention relates to the proposed Safe Content Guidelines. Stakeholders have pointed out that most games on global platforms like Apple’s App Store, Google Play, Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation, and Xbox already comply with established international rating systems such as Pan European Game Information (PEGI), Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), and International Age Rating Coalition (IARC). Creating India-specific content guidelines, they warn, would duplicate existing frameworks and could result in confusion and inconsistency for global game releases.
“Apple, Google, Steam and others already have structured complaint channels and strict developer accountability,” a stakeholder pointed out. “Adding another layer, with every studio required to appoint a grievance officer and maintain logs, is disproportionate—especially for casual or educational games. It will turn minor user complaints into regulatory disputes.”
Such duplication would also raise compliance costs, particularly for startups and small studios, without delivering any meaningful improvement in consumer protection. Stakeholders argue that the existing platform mechanisms already ensure structured complaint channels and hold developers accountable to global standards.
Another sticking point is the requirement for every studio to appoint a grievance officer and maintain complaint logs. Industry leaders have described this as disproportionate, especially for casual and educational games, warning that it risks converting minor user dissatisfaction into formal regulatory disputes. They argue that platform-level systems should be accepted as adequate for grievance redressal, particularly for small and medium developers.
Industry leaders argue that a proportionate, globally aligned regulatory structure is essential for India to emerge as a global hub for video game development and exports.
“We already follow international parental control and rating standards,” a gaming policy advocate said. “What we need is clarity, light-touch regulation, and support—not overlapping rules that increase friction.”
The industry envisions a regulatory environment that supports cultural and educational value, aligns with global standards, and fosters ease of doing business. Stakeholders emphasise that the sector already adheres to international parental control, rating, and safety mechanisms, and that regulation should be proportionate rather than duplicative.
They believe that a light-touch, globally aligned framework is critical for India to emerge as a hub for video game development and exports, particularly as startups and SMEs drive much of the innovation in this space.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has invited public comments on the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, seeking to build a structured and accountable framework for the country’s fast-growing online gaming sector. The feedback/comments on the draft rules to be submitted by 31st October, 2025.
