Regulate online gaming ecosystem: MP Kartikeya Sharma urges govt in Rajya Sabha

Rajya Sabha MP Kartikeya Sharma on Tuesday urged the government to regulate online gaming, from development to streaming, to ensure that the digital space is safe for children.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the House, the independent MP also demanded that the government should grant official sports status to eSports, which is recognised globally.

"I want to address a digital frontier that is full of promise as it is of peril. I am talking about the world of electronic gaming as we march towards the vision of a Viksit Bharat in 2047. We must recognise the Orange Economy. Our creative and digital sector is no longer a peripheral industry. It is a vital pillar of our USD 1 trillion digital economy goal," Sharma said.

He said that India's creative economy is valued at about USD 30 billion, contributing to nearly 8 per cent of our working population.

"However, we must distinguish between two very different realities within the sector. On one hand, we are witnessing the crisis of unregulated amateur gaming and its impact. The sprawling nature of unregulated amateur online gaming has led to grave repercussions," Sharma said, as he referred to death of some children because of game addiction.

Clinical studies now show a direct link between excessive, unregulated gaming and the rise of ADHD, acute anxiety and depression amongst our children and youth, Sharma said.

"As a parent, not merely as a member of parliament, I request the government to regulate the entire ecosystem from game development to streaming, and mandate game audits to ensure these digital spaces are safe for our children," he said, while emphasising the need to create a safe and conducive ecosystem.

On the other hand, Sharma said there was a potential for professional eSports, which largely remains untapped.

"We have millions of serious, highly skilled electronic gamers who are passionate about this craft. India now boasts of 500 million amateur gamers, the largest gaming audience in the world, and lakhs of professional gamers," he said, and added that India's gaming market is currently valued at about USD 3.7 billion and projected to soar to USD 10 billion by 2030.

He further said the animation, visual effects, gaming and comics (AVGC) sector alone would require roughly about 20 lakh skilled professionals by 2030.

"It is a great opportunity for our youth, for employment, particularly to unlock the full value of gaming design development professional leagues. I urge the government to grant official sports status to eSports, as they are also being accepted by international competitions, Olympics and other bodies," Sharma said.

In her Zero Hour mention, Sumitra Balmik (BJP) had expressed concern over the increasing use of mobile phones among children and their exposure to social media.

"Phone has become an addiction among them," she said, and added that children kept vying for maximum likes on their social media posts.

The BJP member emphasised the need to implement a digital detox initiative to promote the overall well-being of students.