Bill enforces tighter controls on in-app purchases, contest formats, and misleading ads.
Teen addiction cases show heavy financial losses and psychological distress.
Experts warn compulsive gaming mirrors substance abuse, fueling anxiety, stress, and isolation.
The Rajya Sabha on August 20 cleared the Online Gaming Bill to curb the growing threat of gambling in digital games. While it has received backlashes from gamers and gaming companies, the bill aims to tackle the alarming cases of teenagers falling into deep debt and psychological distress due to compulsive online gaming. What starts as harmless fun with free fantasy games often turns into a cycle of spending and losses, creating gambling-like patterns. The new bill proposes tighter controls on the industry, including restrictions on in-app purchases and stricter contest formats for gaming platforms.
SurveyA 16-year-old in Indore borrowed money to play paid contests and ended up losing nearly Rs 80,000 in just six months. Another case from Pune saw a 13-year-old siphon Rs 2 lakh from his mother’s bank account to buy virtual weapons in a popular game. Both cases underline how digital games, once started as harmless fun, can spiral into compulsive spending loops powered by dopamine and social rewards.
Health experts warn that compulsive gaming affects the brain much like substance abuse. “Compulsive online gaming can pose severe mental health risks among teenagers,” says Manvi Khurana, Chief Counselling Psychologist at Karma Care. “We are fast-moving towards a digital life, and it can be hard for parents to restrict access. Children easily go down the rabbit hole of isolation, which brings stress, anxiety, and depressive tendencies.”
Khurana points out that adolescents caught in gaming addiction often display avoidant behaviour, reduced attention spans, and a constant urge to return to the screen. Over time, academics, physical health, and social life all take a hit. “Gaming continuously rewards them in quick bursts, conditioning them to expect instant gratification,” she adds. “When that doesn’t happen, they become impulsive, temperamental, and seek comfort in gaming.”
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A 2025 study by Barot et al. suggests that heavy mobile gaming (3+ hours daily) among high school students is associated with higher stress, insomnia, anxiety, and depression levels. Khurana also notes that compulsive online gaming has neurological parallels with substance abuse. She said. “Both activate the same dopaminergic pathways in the brain, reinforcing compulsive behaviour and making it harder to quit.”
The Online Gaming Bill may have sparked debate, but it is said to address the financial, psychological and social impact of excessive gaming. Additionally, it aims to regulate misleading advertisements, including celebrity endorsements that promote glamour or quick wealth.
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Himani Jha
Himani Jha is a tech news writer at Digit. Passionate about smartphones and consumer technology, she has contributed to leading publications such as Times Network, Gadgets 360, and Hindustan Times Tech for the past five years. When not immersed in gadgets, she enjoys exploring the vibrant culinary scene, discovering new cafes and restaurants, and indulging in her love for fine literature and timeless music. View Full Profile
