iWorld
5G revolution in India strikes the Indian Smart TV market
Mumbai: The fifth generation (5G) of cellular networks has given rise to a new era of high-performing connectivity in India. This telecommunications milestone is already revolutionizing several industries and how they function. Agriculture, education, manufacturing, farming, and healthcare have all been engulfed in the wave of innovations ushered by 5G.
As the 5G wave begins to reshape the digital landscape in India, entertainment, and media are not far behind. 5G has enabled high-quality, buffer-free streaming and interactive experiences like 360-degree live sports events. 5G-powered VR experiences have become commonplace, and this technology has truly widened the scope of entertainment. The consumer electronics sector, especially the modern household staple Smart TVs, has been influenced to a tremendous degree by this seismic advancement in connectivity.
Smart TVs have already transformed at-home viewing by merging streaming, apps, and internet browsing – all into one single platform. This advancement was achieved on the backs of 4G networks, where speeds peak at 100 to 200 Mbps. 5G changes the game completely, with a hundredfold increase in speeds reaching up to about 10 Gbps. It provides improved latency and an increased range for holding up to 100 times more traffic. This further transforms Smart TVs and expands the scope of seamless entertainment. How fast the pace of this transformation would be now depends on the level of accessibility an average consumer has to this network.
5G’s rapid yet developing expansion not only meets the high-data demands of urban consumers but also manages to tap into the demands of rural and semi-urban consumers that previously faced connectivity challenges. As per Ericsson’s Mobility Report, 5G subscriptions in India are projected to increase from 119 million at the end of 2023 (representing 10% of all mobile subscriptions) to a staggering 840 million by the end of 2029, constituting 65 per cent of the total subscriptions. With leading Indian telecom players contributing to the country’s connectivity ecosystem, the deployment of 5G and its observed response has established India as a pivotal nation in the global telecom landscape.
Expanding the scope of smart TVs
With the advent of 5G, Smart TVs have become a Swiss Knife of sorts when it comes to entertainment. Think of it as technology on steroids. The new available high-speed connectivity allows Smart TVs in India to stream Ultra-HD and even 8K content without buffering. Global OTT platforms that offer services in India are already optimizing their services for 8K. The low-latency connections offered by 5G enable more efficient cloud gaming directly on Smart TVs without gaming consoles including multiplayer AR/VR games. During the last 2023 World Cup, the mix of 5G connectivity and Smart TVs made it possible for viewers to enjoy buffer-free live sports streaming, with features like multi-angle viewing and instant replay.
Integration of AI and IoT devices into Smart TVs has been possible because of 5G. This allows for tailored recommendations based on consumers’ viewing habits. 5G-enabled Smart TVs use AI-driven personalized content suggestions, and a large segment of viewers prefer to engage with personalized content recommendations on streaming platforms, increasing watch time.
Beyond entertainment, 5G-enabled Smart TVs have transformed homes into hubs for connectivity where users can control home appliances, lighting, and security cameras from their TV interface.
Expansion of IoT-driven electronics
India also proves to be an emerging IoT (Internet of Things) market for multiple industries primarily due to the rise in integration and creation of IoT-enabled products and services. The arrival of 5G comes at a time when its implementation delivers remarkable response times when coupled with IoT applications. Thus, making smart devices even smarter and more efficient by enhancing their performance in real-time.
As per iLounge’s article on The Impact of 5G on IoT Adoption and Implementation, “The improved features of 5G can also empower the creation and activation of more advanced IoT devices. Such devices will run faster, respond quicker, have longer battery life, and carry more complex tasks. This not only will enhance the efficiency and reliability of current IoT devices but will also create new possibilities for use cases and business models.” For instance, 5G networks reduce response times in IoT applications from 50 milliseconds to 1 millisecond, a boost particularly beneficial for real-time applications like autonomous vehicles and remote healthcare. This growth not only expands IoT’s reach but also reinforces India’s position as a leading market for IoT innovation for the years ahead.
The convergence of 5G connectivity and Smart TV will be the backbone of intelligent entertainment systems. The day is already upon us when TV isn’t just a device for viewing, but a portal to more immersive experiences that cater to our needs in real time. This future is fast, incredible where innovations are endless, and the best part is that this amazing new journey has just begun.
Gaming
India’s new online gaming rules take effect today, banning money games and creating a regulator
The rules, in force from today, separate e-sports from gambling and impose jail terms and stiff fines on violators
NEW DELHI: India’s online gaming sector woke up this morning to a new reality. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026, came into force today, May 1st, turning a year of legislative intent into enforceable law. The message from New Delhi is blunt: e-sports and social games are welcome; online money games are not.
The rules operationalise the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming (PROG) Act, passed by Parliament in August 2025. Together, they represent the most sweeping regulatory intervention India has made in its booming digital gaming market, one that generated Rs 23,200 crore in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 11 per cent to reach Rs 31,600 crore by 2027. The stakes, in every sense, could not be higher.
A sector out of control
The urgency behind the legislation is not hard to find. An estimated 45 crore Indians have been affected by online money gaming platforms, with losses exceeding Rs 20,000 crore. Addiction, financial ruin, money laundering, and suicides have all been linked to the sector. Seventy-seven per cent of the market’s revenues came from transaction-based games, a figure that made regulators deeply uneasy.
The government’s response, effective as of today, is categorical. Online money games, whether based on chance, skill, or any mix of the two, are banned outright. So is their advertising, promotion, and facilitation. Banks and payment processors are barred from handling related transactions. Unlawful platforms can be blocked under the Information
Technology Act, 2000.
The penalties are designed to sting. Offering or facilitating online money games can attract up to three years in jail and a fine of up to Rs 1 crore, or both. Repeat offenders face a minimum of three years, extendable to five, with fines between Rs 1 crore and Rs 2 crore. Advertising such games carries up to two years in prison and fines of up to Rs 50 lakh, with repeat violations attracting higher penalties still. Cyber cell officers at state and union territory levels, including at police station, district, and commissionerate levels, are empowered to investigate offences.
The new sheriff in town
At the centre of the new framework sits the Online Gaming Authority of India, a digital-first regulator constituted as an attached office of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, headquartered in Delhi. It is chaired by the additional secretary of MeitY and includes joint secretary-level representation from home affairs, finance, information and broadcasting, youth affairs and sports, and law and justice, a deliberately multi-sectoral design built for a complex sector.
The authority’s powers are broad. It will maintain and publish lists of online money games, investigate complaints, issue directions, orders, and codes of practice, hear appeals on user grievances, and coordinate with financial institutions and law enforcement to ensure effective and timely action.
Its decisions on game classification are to be completed within 90 days, a time-bound commitment that industry players have welcomed after years of regulatory ambiguity. Classification can be triggered by the authority acting on its own initiative, by an application from a service provider, or by a notification from the central government. Games will be assessed on objective factors: whether stakes are involved, whether players expect monetary winnings, the revenue model, and whether in-game assets can be monetised outside the game. The outcome is recorded in a determination order specific to the game and provider.
E-sports gets its moment
While the crackdown on money gaming dominates today’s headlines, the rules also carve out a structured path for e-sports and online social games. Registration, required when notified by the central government, applies to all games offered as e-sports and is based on factors including risk to users, scale, financial transactions, and country of origin. A successful application yields a digital certificate of registration with a unique number, valid for up to ten years. Service providers must display registration details, designate a point of contact, comply with data retention requirements, and follow directions on facilitating payments.
Online money games are explicitly ineligible for recognition or registration as e-sports under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025. The separation is deliberate, and the industry has noticed.
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming, called today’s operationalisation “encouraging,” pointing to publisher-led registration of esports titles and a time-bound determination process as creating “much-needed certainty for all stakeholders.” He added that the “continued emphasis on clearly separating esports from online money gaming is critical in preserving the integrity of competitive gaming as a skill-driven discipline.” He described it as “a proud moment to see official acknowledgement of the broader benefits of responsible esports and gaming, from building confidence, discipline, and teamwork to creating new career pathways for young talent,” and said the framework sets “a strong foundation for the ecosystem to scale in a more structured and globally competitive manner.”
Animesh Agarwal, co-founder and chief executive of S8UL, was equally bullish. “This clarity is critical in unlocking investor confidence and attracting multi-genre brands, while also enabling organisations to take a more long-term view, whether in investing in talent, scaling teams, or building globally competitive formats,” he said, adding that it “strengthens trust among audiences and mainstream stakeholders, positioning esports not just as a sport, but as a fast-growing youth entertainment category in India.”
But Agarwal urged caution on several fronts. There remains limited clarity around financial frameworks, particularly in how esports earnings are treated by banks and financial institutions. A well-defined pathway for the formal recognition or registration of esports teams is still evolving, as are structured player protections. He also called for smoother visa processes for esports athletes competing in international tournaments and for government support in developing infrastructure, including bootcamps, training facilities, and access to high-performance equipment across titles.
Vishal Parekh, chief operating officer of CyberPowerPC India, pointed to downstream effects on education and careers. “With formal recognition and policy backing, colleges and institutions are more likely to take the sector seriously, whether through dedicated esports infrastructure, training programmes, or curriculum integration,” he said, adding that this helps students view gaming as a viable career spanning roles across competitive play, content, game development, and allied industries. He noted that as esports gains prominence in global multi-sport events, the framework strengthens India’s position in international competitive gaming, and called on the ecosystem to provide the right infrastructure and access to high-performance hardware to unlock opportunities in talent development and job creation.
Protecting users, one safeguard at a time
The rules introduce a layered system of user protections calibrated to the risk profile of each game. These include age verification, age gating, time restrictions, parental controls, user reporting tools, counselling support, and fair-play and integrity monitoring. Service providers must disclose their safety features and internal grievance mechanisms when applying for determination or registration.
A two-tier grievance redressal system sits atop these safeguards. Users who are dissatisfied with a platform’s resolution can escalate to the authority within 30 days. The authority aims to dispose of such appeals within a further 30 days. A second appeal lies before the secretary of MeitY, who must also endeavour to resolve matters within 30 days. Enforcement proceedings will be conducted in digital mode wherever possible, with cases targeted for resolution within 90 days from receipt of a complaint.
Penalties under the framework are proportionate, taking into account gain from non-compliance, loss to users, the gravity of the offence, and whether violations are recurring. Mitigation efforts by service providers will also be considered when determining penalties. All penalties imposed under the Act will be credited to the Consolidated Fund of India.
The money follows the rules
For investors and founders, the implications are immediate and significant. Sagar Nair, head of incubation at LVL Zero Incubator, a 100-day sprint designed to accelerate early-stage gaming startups across India, argues that with real-money gaming now prohibited, capital will shift “away from transaction-driven models toward content-led, IP-driven, and global-first gaming businesses.” He acknowledged trade-offs: for operators with exposure to real-money formats, the market becomes more restrictive in the near term. But he argued that by clearly separating esports and non-money gaming from online money gaming, “India is positioning itself as a hub for responsible, creative, and scalable game development.” The opportunity, he said, is “to view India not just as a monetisation-first market, but as a talent, IP, and scale market,” adding that “for founders and investors willing to adapt, this shift could ultimately strengthen India’s position in the global gaming landscape.”
The government frames the wider impact in equally ambitious terms: a boost to India’s creative economy and digital exports, new career pathways for young people, protection for families from predatory platforms, and a stronger voice in global digital governance. India, it argues, offers a model for other countries grappling with the same tensions between gaming’s economic promise and its social risks, one that shows innovation and strong safeguards need not be mutually exclusive.
Whether the framework delivers on those promises will depend on enforcement, always the hardest part. But from today, the architecture is firmly in place: a regulator with teeth, a classification system with deadlines, penalties designed to deter, and a clear dividing line between games that build careers and games that destroy finances. For a sector that has grown fast and governed itself loosely, May 1st, 2026 is the day the free ride ends.
