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The three peak bodies for India’s online skill gaming industry have jointly instituted a mandatory code of ethics for their members, the latest move by the industry to exercise de facto self-regulation of real-money gaming.

The All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) and the E-Gaming Federation will monitor and enforce the code to uphold responsible gaming practices throughout India, the groups said in a joint statement.

The code of ethics “is aimed at enforcing consistent standards of user safety across the industry through the implementation of responsible gaming and advertising policies, and mandates annual third-party audits and comprehensive reporting mechanisms to ensure accountability and transparency”, it said.

The code requires strict compliance with responsible gaming provisions, while folding in the adoption of advertising standards agreed to with the Advertising Standards Council of India in February.

“Upon successful adoption [by a member], federations will issue a certification valid for one year which shall be renewable annually upon completion of a third-party independent audit,” the statement said.

“The code will be reviewed annually to assess its effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.”

Player protection measures in the code include compulsory age verification and know your customer (KYC) protocols, self-exclusion and pre-commitment provisions, and identification of at-risk players.

Other technical requirements include security of customer deposits, refund policies, independent audits, and blocks on customers in states or Union Territories of India where applicable gaming is illegal.

The peak groups said that members with revenue exceeding $1bn rupees ($11.5m) a year must be compliant with the code within six months. Other companies have a nine-month grace period to achieve compliance.

The introduction of the code appears to supersede an earlier, non-mandatory code adopted by the groups in December 2023 under the Internet and Mobile Association of India.

The newer code also represents further unifying of the interests of real-money online gaming companies, whose solidarity had frayed for a time as central and state governments launched regulatory attacks on illegal gambling companies and withdrew a pledge to allow industry self-regulation.

Now, the three peak groups have moved back from compartmentalisation to cooperation to protect against the impacts of illegal sports betting and chance-based gaming on the reputation of their members.

E-Gaming Federation CEO Anuraag Saxena said: “Unethical gambling operators have been harming the nation, its exchequer, and its people for too long.

“The adoption of these standards strengthens our commitment to accountability through third-party audits, responsible gaming policies, and ethical business practices.”

AIGF chief executive Roland Landers said the cross-federation code sets “new benchmarks for ethical gaming” by displaying the industry’s commitment to “fair play, compliance with Indian law, and fostering a secure and responsible gaming environment”.