I&B Ministry
Kerala government bans online lottery
MUMBAI: The Kerala government has issued a notification banning sale of all kinds of computer and online lottery tickets in the state. The order, which comes into force with immediate effect, asserts the state as a `free zone from online and internet lotteries’.
Prominent online lottery operators in Kerala include Essel group’s Playwin, Martin Group’s Smartwin, DhanDhanaDhan from Forbe’s group, Dhoot Entertainment Network’s V1 online lottery and Apollo International’s Lottus.
When contacted, Playwin CEO Sanjay Das told indiantelevision.com that the company closed all its installations in the state in deference to the notification. He said the company was contemplating its next move.
Kerala is an important market for online lottery operators. Playwin, for instance, used to collect approximately 20 per cent of its total revenue (Rs. 800 – Rs. 900 million per month) from this market. According to an industry insider, the Kerala online lottery market is valued at Rs. 500 million to Rs. 750 million approximately.
Online lottery in the state is now banned using the 5th section of Union Lottery law. Earlier, online lottery operators had obtained a stay from the SC against a High Court Order banning the sale of other state lotteries in the state. Reportedly, the government’s decision now to ban online lottery in the state is based on expert opinion that the SC order is applicable to paper lotteries only.
The Supreme Court had earlier pulled up Kerala government officials for remarks and taking action against on-line and paper lotteries in the state while the matter has been pending before the court and hence sub-judice. It had asked the chief secretary to present himself before the court on 17 January.
I&B Ministry
Prasar Bharati sets EPG standards for DD Free Dish platform
New specs define 7-day guide, LCN mapping, and device compatibility.
MUMBAI: Your TV guide just got a backstage pass structured, scheduled, and far more in sync. Prasar Bharati has released detailed technical specifications for Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) services on DD Free Dish, laying down a standardised framework for how channels and programme information are organised and delivered. At the core of the update is a defined EPG data structure, covering genre-based categorisation, scheduling formats, and Logical Channel Numbering (LCN). The aim is simple: make navigation less guesswork and more guided experience across the platform’s over 40 million households.
The specifications also introduce a seven-day programme guide window for each channel, alongside clear rules for channel grouping and LCN mapping effectively deciding not just what you watch, but how easily you find it.
On the technical front, the document outlines requirements for Program Specific Information (PSI) and Service Information (SI), including descriptor usage across tables such as PAT, BAT and NIT. It further details service lists and network linkage parameters, giving OEMs and developers a clearer blueprint for integration.
Importantly, the framework is designed to work seamlessly with television sets equipped with in-built satellite tuners, enabling users to access DD Free Dish directly without additional hardware, an incremental but meaningful step towards simplifying access.
The platform will continue to operate on GSAT-15 transponders, using MPEG-4 compression and DVB-S2 transmission standards, ensuring continuity even as the interface evolves.
While largely technical, the move signals a broader push towards standardisation and user-friendly discovery in India’s free-to-air ecosystem because sometimes, the real upgrade isn’t what’s on screen, but how easily you get there.
