DES 2025: Online gaming sector calls for clarity as regulatory gaps persist
At the Digital Entertainment Summit 2025 conducted by Storyboard18, industry leaders Ananay Jain, partner, Grant Thornton; Shivani Jha, founder, EPWA; and Piyush, founder and CEO, Rooter, indulged in a conversation with Storyboard18's Imran Fazal to discuss on responsible digital entertainment.
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As India’s digital entertainment industry continues to expand rapidly, the online gaming sector remains caught in a legal limbo, navigating a maze of inconsistent state regulations. At the Digital Entertainment Summit 2025 hosted by Storyboard18, leading voices from the industry urged the central government to fast-track a unified legal framework to govern online gaming.
The panel featuring Ananay Jain, Partner, Grant Thornton; Shivani Jha, Founder, EPWA; and Piyush, Founder & CEO, Rooter, highlighted how regulatory uncertainty is slowing down innovation and responsible growth in one of India’s fastest-evolving digital spaces.
"The digital entertainment industry is growing at a massive pace and the regulatory framework is trying to catch up with it. So, at this point, I think self-regulation and co-regulation become some of the important tools that we have and need to abide by. If you look at some of the leading OTT platforms such as Netflix, Hotstar, Amazom Prime, all of them have self-regulated themselves and tried to comply with IAMAI universal code of conduct. Even platforms like Instagram and YouTube are trying to promote more transparency. In egaming, we are pioneering and championing the code of ethics and code of conduct," Ananay Jain, partner, Grant Thornton said.
Jha emphasized the role of Self-Regulatory Bodies (SRBs) under the IT Rules as a potential solution, cautioning that without proper verification mechanisms, every game risks landing in litigation. “User safety is a shared goal,” she said. “It’s time for the government, civil society, and the gaming industry to co-create a trustworthy regulatory ecosystem.”
In early 2025, the Centre signaled intent to develop a centralized regulatory model for online gaming, forming a committee that includes members from the Ministry of Home Affairs, legal experts and gaming executives. The objective is to evaluate how best to balance consumer protection with industry growth.
The conversation also touched on deeper societal concerns such as addiction, online abuse and fraud, frequently associated with gaming platforms. While several firms have adopted voluntary codes of conduct, experts agree that self-regulation alone can’t replace legal clarity.
