Pramesh Jain
Concerned over increasing trend of children addicted to mobile phones for their online classes during lock down period and eventually hooked to online gaming apps,city based advocate association (five years law course ) has urged the state government to ban those apps which posing threat to children health.
Association President,S Umesh also warned the government that he will take legal course if the government failed to act immediately.
In a petition to the government, Mr.Umesh said that the online gaming apps have now become a bigger menace than single digit lottery which had destroyed many households and even led to suicides in Karnataka some year ago.
These online games which have an entry fee border on gambling and wagering.
Though some gaming companies try to make a distinction between game of skill which is legal and game of chance which is illegal,in reality most games promote betting and children are falling for the trap.
There is also no transparency on the Internal financial transactions of the company as there is no clarity on what percentage of the total amount collected is given away as prizes.
According to an international audit tax and advisory services company (KPMG) has estimated that gaming revenue could touch Rs 19,000 crore which only given an indication of the huge amount involved.
While the public are fleeced on one hand, the state does not receive any royalty.This is nothing but daylight robbery.
Following complaints of gambling and suicides, Tamilnadu,Andhra Pradesh,Kerala and some other states have already banned all forms of online games which involve payment.
With online learning now becoming the norm, a large number of students too are getting hooked to the game.
We demand an immediate ban on all online gaming apps on the lines of Tamil Nadu and other states in Karnataka too.
While lakhs of people are getting addicted to these games,the bigger danger is of children who are now pursuing online studies being lured into betting and gambling.Mr.Umesh,said in his complaint he added.
