NEW DELHI: Thiruvananthapuram Member of Parliament (MP) and senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor introduced a Private Members bill called the Sports (Online Gaming and Prevention of Fraud) Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, IANS reports.
The bill, which is the first ever tabled in a parliamentary house on eSports and online gaming, aims to introduce an effective administration to maintain the integrity of sports in India by preventing and penalising sports fraud and regulating online sports gaming.
“The integrity of sports is essential to preserve its beneficial aspects. Sports integrity is increasingly under threat due to unabated acts of fraud and corruption. My bill addresses this issue by criminalising sports fraud, including match fixing and spot fixing,” Tharoor said in a statement.
“Sports is a major source of commerce and revenue for many entities, especially in the field of betting or gaming in connection with sporting events. The increasing commercial nature of sports, increases the possibility of sports manipulation by vested interests to make financial benefits. A complete prohibition on betting on sports has not been a successful approach, rather it has driven the market further into the black economy,” the statement added.
“The law must adopt a regulatory approach and effectively demarcate the lines of permissible conduct in the field of betting or gaming in connection with a sporting event. My bill provides the framework to make this possible.”
The development has given the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) a massive boost. The federation is a not-for-profit organisation, and focuses on policy advocacy, research and forum for discussion among various stakeholders associated with the online gaming industry.
AIGF CEO Roland Landers was quoted as saying to the Press Trust of India: “With the proliferation of sports leagues and the development of the sports ecosystem in India, the (Online Gaming & Prevention of Fraud) Bill 2018, will be a step in the right direction in order to maintain integrity in sports”.
