The government has issued an order to bring content providers, including online gaming services and online advertisements, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B).
According to a gazette notification issued by President Draupadi Murmu, films and audio-visual programs/content offered by online content providers/publishers will now be classified under the “Ministry of Information and Broadcasting” in the Second Schedule of the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961.
Following the amendment to the IT Rules, 2021, in April, carried out by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), which aimed to regulate “online real money games” involving monetary transactions for playing, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued a recent advisory. The advisory serves as a warning to media entities, platforms, and online intermediaries, urging them to refrain from airing advertisements related to betting and gambling platforms.