Is BGMI getting banned again? Indian govt’s cybersecurity division reportedly wants it discontinued

Highlights

• Battlegrounds Mobile India ban is under discussion, again.
• India government’s cybersecurity division has some concerns towards the game. 
• BGMI or PUBG catapulted the Indian gaming and esports industry. So, its ban could be disheartening for many stakeholders.

Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) could get banned again in India as reports claim the central government’s cybersecurity division has “recommended” Krafton to discontinue the game. It has cited certain “crimes” as the reason for this decision. Let’s see what they are and why the BGMI ban could be bad for the esports industry in the country.

BGMI ban possibility: Why?

News18 has reported that the union government’s cybersecurity arm has been spooked by factors like:

• Illegal entry of a foreign national named Seema Haider to India to meet her lover, with whom she fell in love through PUBG.
• The fear of data misuse by Krafton, a Chinese company. The game collects a variety of data and the government worries about the worst-case scenario wherein this data could be used for surveillance and cyber attacks.  
• The apprehension towards the BGMI data stored in the US servers. It alleges this data is being surreptitiously shared with servers in China. 

All these aspects could be a threat to India’s security and for this reason, the government has “recommended” BGMI developer Krafton to take down the game. If the latter listens, then the game could boot out of both app stores. 

As per News18, Krafton gets to present its case next week in a meeting with officials from central agencies.

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Why BGMI ban is bad for India’s esports industry

A recent FICCI-EY report (via Storyboard18) reveals there are 450 million gamers in India, out of which 100 million play every day. What’s more dumbfounding is that the gaming industry with a projected growth of Rs 269 billion in 2024 surpasses the film industry’s Rs 207 billion projection. 

BGMI or its previous avatar PUBG has played a key role in this. Publisher Krafton has also invested and proposed several contributions to the industry. The game has helped several new gamers and streamers find a footing and make more than a living playing it. So, now if the game gets banned (again), it could put a dent in the confidence of both players as well as foreign companies/investors. 

Let’s see what happens. We shall keep a close eye on the developments.

The post Is BGMI getting banned again? Indian govt’s cybersecurity division reportedly wants it discontinued first appeared on 91mobiles.com.

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