Need stringent law to curb online gaming: Fadnavis plea to Centre
Devendra Fadnavis
on Friday made a fervent appeal in Maharashtra assembly for a central legislation to regulate online gaming, warning that absence of a dedicated law is leading to widespread addiction and exploitation of young users.
"There is no specific law to ban online gaming," Fadnavis told the House, while responding to a calling attention motion raised by Congress MLA Kailas Ghadge Patil. "We have requested the govt to frame a comprehensive law to govern online lottery and gaming. The state will actively follow up on this request."
While the Union ministry of electronics and IT has issued guidelines under IT Act, Fadnavis pointed out that these are insufficient to address the scale and impact of online gaming platforms — many of which involve monetary stakes and dodge regulation.
Appealing to celebrities to avoid endorsing such platforms, he said, "These promotions glamorise gaming and mislead youth."
Speaking in Nagpur, BJP senior leader and cultural affairs minister Sudhir Mungantiwar termed online gaming a serious "new-age addiction". He said, "Proper legal mechanisms must be established to bring such activities within a legal framework. Without legislation, we are leaving our youth vulnerable."
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In response to a related starred question concerning cyber frauds involving misuse of fake bank accounts under Ladki Bahin Scheme, Fadnavis listed ongoing state-level efforts to combat digital crimes. "We have set up 50 cyber police stations across Maharashtra, including five at the Mumbai commissionerate level," he said. "Cyber units are actively working on public outreach and education."
The Maharashtra cyber department, in coordination with local police, has been running awareness campaigns and issuing social media advisories to curb online scams.
Fadnavis added that judicial officers, forensic experts, and law enforcement personnel received advanced training to expedite cybercrime investigations and prosecutions.
The state also established a dedicated Cyber Corporation and launched 50 cyber labs across districts to strengthen digital infrastructure. Fadnavis emphasised that public participation is key and encouraged citizens to report incidents through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. "We also activated helpline numbers 1945 and 1930 for instant reporting of online frauds," he said.
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