Brijesh Singh, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Advocates for Specific Act on Online Gambling

2024-12-21 04:47:32 Government

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New Delhi, October 15, 2024: "We need to have a specific act on online gambling. We should look at how society operates and then come up with an appropriate set of regulations. There is a need for a fresh look at the gambling legislation," said Shri Brijesh Singh, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Government of Maharashtra, during a panel discussion on "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing: Emerging Cyberthreats from Unchecked Online Betting and Gambling" at the second edition of the Indian Gaming Convention (IGC). The two-day convention is being organised by the Internet and Mobile Association of India, on October 14-15, at the Taj Palace, New Delhi.

"On the enforcement side, I believe we need capacity and capability. We also need a real-time flow of information with law enforcement. We will soon have a Human Cybercrime Protection Policy," Shri Singh added.

"As we embrace the digital era, it is critical to ensure that our people are protected from the emerging cyberthreats associated with online betting and gambling. Technological advancements are becoming stronger, and while they offer great potential, they also bring increased risks. We must implement proactive measures, including contextual warnings on apps, to safeguard users from falling prey to these threats. Our responsibility is to create a safe and secure online environment for everyone," Shri said further.

The theme for IGC 2024 - India—the Next Superpower in Gaming, reflects India's journey to being a global leader in gaming. Meta is the Title Partner of the convention.

Mr. Vivan Sharan, Partner at Koan Advisory Group, moderated the discussion, which also featured Vinit Goenka, Founder Secretary of the Centre for Knowledge Sovereignty.

Speaking on online gambling, Mr. Vinit Goenka said, "Different states think in different ways, but there is a need for uniform reforms at the central level that identify black holes. We should invest a small amount of revenue generated by a state to create awareness. There has to be a robust mechanism for consumer protection."

Among major partners of IGC 2024 are, Gold Partners –Salesforce and Veve; Silver Partners – Google Cloud & Bureau; Lanyard partner – Moloco; GameTech Enabler – Singhtek, and Knowledge Partner – PWC.

About Internet and Mobile Association of India

The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) is a not-for-profit industry body with 580 members, including Indian and multinational corporations, as well as start-ups. IAMAI has been instrumental in shaping India's digital economy. IAMAI advocates free and fair competition, and progressive and enabling laws for businesses as well as for consumers. The overarching objective of IAMAI is to ensure the progress of the internet and the digital economy. Its major areas of activities are public policy and advocacy, business to business conferences, research, promotion of start-ups and promotion of consumer trust and safety.