As a result of Indo-China tensions, the Indian government has banned more than 200 Chinese applications in the past three months to protect the country’s sovereignty and protect citizens’ information. But this time, Andhra Pradesh, one of the country’s states, banned 132 apps and websites. The list includes some popular game applications like Paytm First Game, Mobile Premier League (MPL) and Adda52. Allegedly, these apps were persuading users to gamble and bet online. So, despite being a native application, the apps have been banned in that state.
Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh government has requested the central government to direct all internet service providers to block access to those websites and applications. It is learned that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy sent a letter to Union Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications Ravi Shankar Prasad on October 26 highlighting all these online gaming and betting mediums.
Then Chief Minister Jagan Mohan also submitted a list, which contains the names of 132 websites and applications. The Andhra Pradesh government believes that those websites or applications persuade users to play online gaming, betting and gambling and a section of the younger generation spends time on all these websites or applications through their mobile phones and computers.
Reddy said users were wasting their money on online betting and gaming addiction and creating violent behaviour among the public. And so those applications and websites have been banned under the Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act 1974. The Andhra Pradesh government this year amended the Gaming Act to make online gaming, online gambling and online betting a punishable offense.
Dream 11, the main sponsor of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, is not on the list of banned applications in Andhra Pradesh. Dream 11 also allows users to enjoy online gaming and win cashback. So why not point the finger at this application, the question remains!
