India Threatens Online Gaming

The Indian state of Karnataka, home to India's Silicon Valley, has proposed a ban on online games involving betting and wagering, sparking concerns that growing state regulations could hit the nascent but booming sector. Karnataka is proposing an amendment to the Karnataka Police Act to include online games that offer prizes, seeking to ban gaming-related gambling and make it a criminal offense. The government says the bill is needed as young people from rural areas, mostly idle in the city during the COVID-19 pandemic, have shown a tendency to become habitual gamblers. Karnataka is the fourth Indian state to seek to ban online games involving prize money. Foreign investors have shown a growing interest in backing Indian gaming startups since last year during the pandemic.