Why BGMI got banned in India?

Korean developer, one of the most popular battle royale games, was banned in July this year by the Indian government over alleged safety and privacy concerns. As a consequence of the ban, the Indian gaming market growth could be lower than expected in 2023. But despite this ban, India’s PC and mobile gaming markets will continue to grow, with the number of gamers in 2022 expected to double from 396.4 million to 630 million in 2026. Gamers across both segments are expected to spend $704.5 million in 2022, and that amount is predicted to rise to $1.4 billion in the year 2026. Due to excessive mental health affected among children, so the Indian government decided to ban the gaming app. While the Indian government has not revealed why it has banned the gaming app, a report by Reuters has revealed that the government has banned under Section 69A of the IT Act, the same provision used to ban PUBG Mobile. The Section 69A empowers the government to block public access to websites and apps in the interest of national security. A ‘state of limbo’. That’s what India’s Esports industry is facing after popular game Battlegrounds Mobile India was pulled from the Google Play Store and App Store last week. Technically, the game has not been banned–it has only been pulled from stores due to an interim government order. And while those who have the game can still play it, for Esports companies and players whose livelihood depends on the current situation is not ideal. Industry executives that indianexpress.com spoke to noted that is what is largely driving revenues and viewership in the market. And the game getting banned in the future would have larger ramifications for the country’s nascent but rising Esports industry. Recently crossed 100 million registered users in India in just over a year after its re-launch, a sign of the game’s popularity. Popular battle royal game Battlegrounds Mobile India has been delisted from Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store in India. According to a TechCrunch report, the app was delisted by Google from both platforms in India on Thursday evening. A spokesperson confirmed the delisting and said the company is seeking clarification. According to a Reuters report, the Indian government invoked a section 69A of its IT law to impose restrictions. This section allows the Indian government to block public access to content that concerns national security. A political non-government repeatedly asked the Indian government to investigate China's influence. Also, the president Abhay Mishra said, an influential Hindu nationalist group which is close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Reuters. To recall, tweaked version for India after it was banned alongside 177 Chinese apps by the Indian Government, citing national security issues. The statement said, “it is engaged in activities which prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defense of India, security of the state and public order.” The gameplay and graphics is very similar to that of mobile; however, it is said to run on different servers. They had said it had cut ties with its publishing partner and announced $100 million investment to boost the Indian gaming ecosystem. In March 2021,  Korean parent invested $22.4 million in Indian esports company Gaming. It was following its pledge to invest in India.