Recently, a shocking incident has made headlines in the news media. His 24-year-old youth from Uttar Pradesh borrowed money from his family to play online games. Deeply in debt, he murdered his mother and abandoned his body in a nearby river to pay off his life insurance loan. Around the same time in February, a 20-year-old engineering student based in Hyderabad ended his life after borrowing and losing a large amount of money in an online game.
In a recent case covered by this newspaper, a minor in Bengaluru became a victim of extortion as a result of his addiction to gaming.Two of the victim’s classmates carried out the blackmail with the assistance of four adults. INROver several months, he received $3.1 million and gold jewelry from his victims. They threatened to inform the boy’s parents of his addiction if he failed to pay.
With the rapid growth of India’s gaming industry, experts have warned that the country could see a rapid rise in addiction and its devastating effects. From FY2020 to FY2023, the online gaming sector recorded a compound annual growth rate of 28% and the market size reached its highest. INRExpected to reach $1,642.8 billion in 2023 INR33,243 billion by 2028, according to a recent report published by Ernst and Young titled ‘New Frontiers – Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Online Gaming in India’.
But what kind of games are Internet games? Any game played online via a phone, laptop, or other device, whether or not it involves gambling, is an Internet game. It is considered. This includes games played solo or multiplayer. This includes games that involve the exchange of money and games that do not. For example, games that are free to play, games that are featured on paid platforms, games where you earn animated trophies, games where you earn virtual currency (to be used in-game) or cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin) that can be used for: etc.) etc. Pay your real world bills.
In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized “gaming disorder” and added it to the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases.
Manoj Kumar Sharma, a clinical psychologist and director of Technology and Health Utilization Services (SHUT), part of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, says online gaming addiction is a clinical problem. It is called Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD).
At the SHUT Clinic, Sharma uses the 5Cs when making diagnoses. Losing control over your time. Coping, or whether gaming acts as an unhealthy coping mechanism to deal with stressors. Compulsory or habitual games. And the consequences: loss of relationships, decline in academic performance, and poor personal hygiene due to excessive gaming.
A psychologist who has been researching internet addiction and its various forms since 2007, Sharma’s research proves that certain age groups are more susceptible to addiction. Teens and their girlfriends in their early 20s are at the highest risk of becoming addicted to gaming. Certain personality types have been shown to be more susceptible to addiction, such as those who score high on neuroticism and anxiety.
Sharma highlights some obvious signs of gaming addiction. This is an increase in angry outbursts and impulsive behavior. Disorders of appetite. Decline in academic ability. and loss of interest in activities that were previously enjoyed. However, they caution against self-diagnosis, as these symptoms can also be caused by a variety of mental health issues.
Sharma explains that this addiction is usually a symptom of a deeper problem. “Most patients use gaming as a means of escape: an attempt to overcome loneliness, combat depression, or distract from existing conflicts at home, school, or work. ” The main problem needs to be identified and treated as part of the withdrawal process to prevent relapse, he added.
How online games trick your brain into a ‘dopamine high’ state
The psychological principle on which these addictive games work is a “dopamine high.” Games involve excitement and the promise of reward (monetary or through access to the next level of the game). When your efforts are rewarded, dopamine, a neurotransmitter that produces feelings of pleasure, is released. Gamers get hooked on this feeling of freedom, this feeling of euphoria, and they crave it. This eventually leads to gaming addiction.
Over time, these high dopamine levels impair the function of the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that controls impulsivity and aggression. This dysfunction impairs decision-making and reinforces aggressive behavior.
There are a variety of treatments available to treat gaming addiction, including behavior modification, which involves monitoring or limiting the amount of time a person spends online, and cognitive behavioral therapy, which addresses the underlying issues that led to the addiction. It also includes learning new skills and coping mechanisms, such as mindfulness and relaxation exercises.
Monitoring your internet usage may seem like an obvious first step, but it’s not as easy as you think. A mother of two teenagers, who wished to remain anonymous, says: “During the pandemic, our children’s school moved online. Their homework became in the form of Google Sheets.” The school continues to rely heavily on online spaces, and children’s screen time has significantly increased. It added that there was an increase in the number of Despite reaching out to school authorities, nothing changed. “There was resistance from staff because teachers thought it was convenient to grade homework online. But these small conveniences come at a big cost to children,” she says.
Legal provisions restricting access to online games
Are there laws regulating gaming? Alok Prasanna Kumar, co-founder and advocate at Biddi Center for Law and Policy, says: “There is no central-level law specific to online gaming. The constitution gives the state exclusive power to enact laws related to betting and gambling.”
Mr. Kumar brought up the Public Gambling Act (PGA) of 1867, a colonial-era law that regulates the operation of gambling houses and gambling houses. But, as he points out, one aspect of his PGA still plays a role today. That’s the PGA’s fundamental distinction between games of skill and games of chance. The former requires intelligence, mental acuity, or special mental or physical skills. These games include chess, rummy, poker, and even cricket and wrestling. However, the latter are entirely or largely based on luck, such as dice games, Wheel of Fortune, and roulette. “While games of skill are legally recognized in India, games of chance are considered gambling and are largely prohibited or regulated,” Kumar said.
Although this distinction was not designed to fit the current online scenario, it has been incorporated into some state-level laws. In the internet age, this has sparked a lot of debate, Kumar said. For example, the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2022 applies to many games of skill. However, the state argued that these games are no longer games of skill when played online. The reason is that on the Internet, you may be playing against pre-programmed bots, or the algorithm itself may be known to the developer. Therefore, players cannot rely on skill. There is a definite element of randomness, making it a game of chance. Because these online games were classified as games of chance, states used their powers to ban them.
The ban was challenged by gaming companies in the Madras High Court and was struck down. “The state has been unable to substantiate its claims and has failed to prove that online rummy and poker are games of chance (rather than skill),” Kumar said.
Kumar believes the root of the problem is a false dichotomy between games of skill and games of chance in online situations. “Maybe a better way to approach this issue is through the lens of addiction,” he says. Kumar also believes that if gaming is considered an addictive substance, it will be more likely to be regulated, with implications for society (such as increased crime rates).
Yet another way gaming could be regulated is through taxation. From July 2023, his GST of 28% on the face value of online games will come into force. Kumar sees this as a positive move, saying, “This will not only generate revenue for the state through taxes, but also allow the state to monitor gambling activities and prevent them from getting out of control.” Stated.
