The first edition of An Objective Framework to Determine Permissible Online Real Money Games emerged from extensive consultations with industry leaders, legal experts, and other key stakeholders. It introduced a quantitative tool to regulate India’s fast-growing online gaming market, addressing the long-standing regulatory challenge of distinguishing between skill-based and chance-based games. By incorporating an objective, transparent, and statistically grounded classification method, the framework provided much-needed clarity to regulators, game developers, and the judiciary.
Building on this foundation, the second edition, authored by Padma Shri Dr. Bimal Roy, a renowned statistician, in collaboration with Ms Kriti Singh (Programme Manager- Online Gaming Policy and Chief of Staff, The Dialogue) and Kazim Rizvi (Founding Director, The Dialogue), refines the framework through rigorous stakeholder reviews, incorporating insights from academicians, industry professionals, and legal experts. The first edition was widely recognised for its interdisciplinary approach, bridging the gap between subjective legal interpretations and objective empirical analysis. This updated version further enhances its credibility with a clearer methodology and more robust data analysis, ensuring transparency and replicability.
A key advancement in this edition is the establishment of quantitative thresholds to measure the skill component of a game, moving beyond merely detecting the presence of skill. Recognising that most online games involve both skill and chance, the first edition did not quantify whether skill predominated over chance. To address this, we introduced a more rigorous benchmark—the Teen Patti game, known for its low-skill influence—within the Exemplary Skill Test, replacing the previous reliance on a coin toss (pure chance). This refined methodology strengthens the framework’s ability to precisely assess the prominence of skill relative to a low-skilled game.
But what do the new thresholds reveal about popular online games? How does this refined approach reshape regulatory perspectives? And what does it mean for the future of India’s online gaming landscape?
Find out in the full framework, where we break down the updated classification model, explore case studies, and unveil insights that could define the next phase of online gaming regulation in India.
