Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has clarified that only the Central government holds the authority to regulate online gaming, not individual states. Speaking during a Calling Attention Motion in the Maharashtra Assembly on July 18, he stated that the matter falls under the Centre’s jurisdiction as per the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
“We reviewed all legal aspects and found that state governments lack the power to regulate online gaming. Only the Centre can create binding regulations,” Fadnavis said, responding to concerns raised by MLAs seeking stricter action.
The debate was initiated by Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Kailas Ghadge Patil, who flagged the rising addiction among youth in Dharashiv taluka. He cited Telangana’s state-wide ban on online gaming and questioned why Maharashtra hadn’t followed suit.
Fadnavis argued that such state-level bans have proven ineffective. “States like Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, which banned these platforms, couldn’t stop access because the games are hosted online. Without blocking access at the source, a state ban has limited impact,” he said.
He confirmed that he has written to the Centre and held discussions with the Union IT Minister, urging nationwide rules. The state is waiting on the Centre to introduce robust laws addressing the issue.
Some legislators have also called for a ban on advertisements promoting online gaming. While no legal steps have been taken yet, Fadnavis appealed to celebrities to stop endorsing such platforms voluntarily.