Nagpur: A lawyer has approached the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court with a petition highlighting the adverse effects of online gaming on the younger generation. The petitioner, Rushikesh Ladekar, is requesting complete restrictions on such gaming activities during certain hours and advocating for stricter regulations on mobile games and betting.
Citing the ‘Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022,’ the petitioner has called upon the Central and Maharashtra Governments to take action. Rushikesh Ladekar has petitioned for a complete ban on online gaming activities from 8 pm to 6/8 am, with a limited schedule during daytime hours. This move aims to curtail the excessive and potentially harmful engagement of young individuals in online gaming.
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The petitioner’s plea is grounded in the ‘Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022,’ which addresses the adverse effects of online gaming, particularly on school students. The Act serves as a precedent for regulating online gaming activities.
A division bench comprising Justice Atul Chandurkar and Justice Vrushali Joshi has issued notices to both the Central and State Governments, requesting their responses within three weeks. The bench acknowledged the preamble of the TN Act, which highlights the need for action based on surveys conducted regarding the impact of online gaming on students.
The petitioner argues that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated addiction to online gaming among children across the country. This addiction is linked to adverse physical and mental health effects and an increase in childhood obesity. The petitioner cited an instance where a village in Kolhapur district initiated a “digital detox” by turning off TVs and mobiles for three hours at night.
The petitioner pointed out alarming cases of young individuals resorting to extreme measures due to online gaming addiction, such as borrowing money for in-game purchases and even kidnapping attempts for ransom. These cases underline the seriousness of the issue.
The petitioner also referred to a research report stating that the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized gaming addiction as a disorder in 2019, further emphasizing the need for regulation and restrictions on online gaming.
The petition filed in the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court brings to light the detrimental effects of online gaming on the younger generation’s physical and mental health. It underscores the urgency of regulating online gaming activities and imposing restrictions during certain hours to protect the well-being of the youth. The court’s issuance of notices to the Central and State Governments reflects a growing concern about the consequences of excessive online gaming among India’s youth.
