2021 appears to have begun off on a positive note for the online gaming industry in India. After a shocking 2020 that saw most South Indian states imposing bans on real-money gaming, we have great news coming from Meghalaya. To regulate online gaming and increase revenue collection for the state, the Meghalaya cabinet on January 14 approved an ordinance that seeks to regulate online gaming in the state. This is called the “Meghalaya regulation of gaming ordinance, 2021.”
Talking to the media persons after the meeting, Cabinet Minister of Home James K. Sangma said, “We are approving this ordinance to increase revenue collection by improving the existing taxation acts and embracing the use of technologies, and tapping new resources to generate revenue.”
Gaming has emerged as one of the most popular pastimes globally, and Meghalaya is no exception, according to Sangma. Since online gaming in India has been booming and generates revenue, the governments are trying to capitalize on it and have a tremendous interest in regulating this industry.
Increased use of technology, a surge of smartphone sales, a growing youth population, and a change in consumer spending behavior are a few key factors driving the growth of online gaming in India. According to Statista, India recorded about 365 million online gamers in 2020. This figure is expected to surpass 510 million by 2022. Overall, India tops the charts in terms of online game downloads on app stores. The country’s gaming population had grown at a rate of 165% between 2016 to 2018.