Thiruvananthapuram: The Central government is clamping down on online gaming, with three types of game apps facing a ban in the country. Rajeev Chandrashekhar, Union Minister of State for Information Technology, told Manorama that the Centre was taking expeditious steps to implement this decision.

The Centre has decided to act on the issue, taking into account the adverse consequences brought on a section of the people by online gaming apps. Apps that require staking of money, those that incite religious hatred, affect women or children and those apps that lead to gaming addiction will be prohibited.

A committee of experts will be constituted to examine the apps before they are banned.

Advertising in social media and other platforms by unapproved foreign gambling companies will be prohibited. Special conditions will be put in place for allowing those below the age of 18 to play online games. It will also be made mandatory for the operating companies to issue continuous warnings to players if their gaming crosses normal limits.

The Information Technology Ministry has published the draft rules for regulating the online gaming sector by revising the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.