Economic Survey 2026 Cites Real Money Gaming Ban as Measure to Curb Digital Addiction

The Economic Survey report 2026 cites the government’s decision to ban real money gaming platforms under the Online Gaming Act, 2025, as one of the measures to curb rising digital addiction amid youth.

“Online Gaming (Regulation) Act, 2025, represents a major step to address digital addiction and financial harm among youth,” the report stated. The act effectively bans online money games involving wagering, restricts advertising and introduces a licensing framework for permissible skill-based games to curb compulsive use, debt, and related mental health concerns.

The report presses on the issue of digital addiction, especially amid youth. It states that with growing mobile/internet use among 15–29-year-olds, access is no longer the binding constraint. Therefore, the focus needs to shift to behavioural health considerations such as the rising problems of digital addiction, quality of content, wellbeing impacts and digital hygiene.

It also cited some other measures the government has been taking to restrain digital addiction.

Measures Against Digital Addiction

“India’s youth are living in an intensely digital environment. While access fuels learning, jobs, and civic participation, compulsive and high-intensity use can impose real economic and social costs, ranging from lost study hours and reduced productivity to healthcare burdens and financial losses resulting from risky online behaviours,” the report stated.

Beyond the Online Gaming Act, the government has taken several steps to address digital addiction among children. These include CBSE guidelines on safe and responsible internet use in schools, the Ministry of Education’s Pragyata framework, which guides digital education planning with explicit attention to screen-time management, and advisories issued by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on screen-time limits and online safety for children.

Also, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched Tele-MANAS (Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States) in October 2022 to provide nationwide mental health support. The 24/7 toll-free helpline (14416) is available across all states and Union Territories and connects callers to trained mental health professionals at no cost.

A dedicated Tele-MANAS mobile app, launched in 2024, has further expanded access. Since inception, the service has received over 32 lakh calls, underlining its growing relevance and impact.

In addition, the SHUT (Service for Healthy Use of Technology) Clinic at NIMHANS, Bengaluru, offers specialised treatment for excessive and compulsive technology use, particularly among adolescents and young adults. The clinic also conducts free online awareness and counselling sessions for parents, aimed at promoting healthier screen-time habits and early intervention.

India’s Digital Penetration

India has made significant strides towards becoming a digitally empowered society, driven by the rapid expansion of its digital economy, strong public digital infrastructure and affordable internet access.

As per the report, internet connections have grown sharply from 25.15 crore in 2014 to 96.96 crore in 2024, aided by nationwide 5G rollout and BharatNet fibre connectivity reaching 2.18 lakh Gram Panchayats. Smartphone penetration has also deepened, with 85.5 per cent of households owning at least one smartphone in 2025, enabling near-universal digital access across demographic groups.

The report also displays India’s digital usage expansion across multiple categories. In 2024, 48 per cent of internet users consumed online video content, 43 per cent accessed social media, 40 per cent used email and streamed music, and 26 per cent made digital payments. In absolute terms, this translates to roughly 40 crore users each for OTT video platforms and food delivery services, and nearly 35 crore users on social media platforms.

Reflecting this scale of adoption, India’s digital economy accounted for 11.74 per cent of national income in FY23 and is projected to rise to 13.42 per cent in FY25, underscoring the growing role of digital technologies in economic activity and value creation.