Government Notifies Draft Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2025 to Oversee E-Sports and Social Gaming
In this draft notification, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has proposed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2025 under the Online Gaming Act, 2025, establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework for online social games and e-sports. The draft provides for the creation of the Online Gaming Authority of India, empowered to determine whether a game qualifies as an online money game, register and maintain a national registry of approved e-sports and online social games, issue and cancel certificates of registration, and impose penalties for violations. It introduces definitions, registration procedures, grievance redressal mechanisms, and appeal processes, while mandating disclosure of any “material change” in gameplay or monetisation. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports will administer matters related to e-sports, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will oversee online social games. The Rules aim to promote safe, age-appropriate, and transparent gaming practices while curbing real-money gaming and ensuring user protection.
Read the draft rules here.
Bombay High Court grants interim protection to Asha Bhosle against AI misuse of her voice
The Bombay High Court has granted temporary relief to playback singer Asha Bhosle in her suit seeking protection of her personality rights from alleged unauthorised use by AI platforms. Asha Bhosle claimed that US-based entities distorted her sound recordings to create illicit AI voice models replicating her voice and style, which were then commercialised through online marketplaces. Court directed interim protection pending further hearing, noting her claim that such use infringes her moral rights and exploits her reputation built over decades. The case follows similar relief granted to singer Arijit Singh in 2024 and raises critical issues on AI misuse of celebrity voice and image.
Read more about it here.
Delhi High Court restrains use of ‘Barbie’ mark, grants ad-interim relief to Mattel
The Delhi High Court has restrained an individual from using the trademark “Barbie” or any deceptively similar variant for business ventures, including Barbie Enterprises and related entities, after Mattel Inc. filed a suit for infringement. Court held that the defendant’s adoption of the iconic mark was visually, phonetically, and conceptually identical, aimed at misleading consumers, and without justification. The Court directed takedown of social media accounts, suspension of domains barbieenterprise.com and barbieenterprise.in, and removal of infringing material. The Court found that Mattel had established a prima facie case, with balance of convenience in its favour and risk of irreparable harm if relief was denied.
Read more about it here.
Bombay High Court grants Malabar Gold & Diamonds relief against defamatory social media campaign
The Bombay High Court has directed Meta and other defendants to remove 442 URLs carrying posts falsely linking Malabar Gold & Diamonds to Pakistan, granting the company interim relief in its defamation suit. The Court accepted contention that a targeted campaign was launched against Malabar after brief engagement of a UK-based influencer of Pakistani origin, despite her subsequent removal from the brand’s promotion. The Court restrained further defamatory publications, barred circulation of similar content, and set up a mechanism for takedown of new URLs, emphasising that mere association with an influencer cannot justify reputational attacks. The order safeguards Malabar’s brand image during the festive season and underscores judicial recognition of digital defamation risks.
Read more about it here.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan sue YouTube and Google over AI deepfake videos
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan have filed a Rs 4 crore defamation and personality rights suit against YouTube and Google, alleging the platform hosts sexually explicit AI-generated deepfake videos misusing their names, images, and voices. The couple seeks removal and permanent ban of such content, along with safeguards preventing its use in AI model training. Their petition cites a YouTube channel, AI Bollywood Ishq, which has uploaded over 259 manipulated clips, amassing 16.5 million views. The Bachchans argue YouTube’s policies allow dangerous misuse, as infringing content can both circulate publicly and be multiplied through AI training.
Read more about it here.
US court dismisses Indian filmmaker’s claim that Squid Game copied film Luck
A US federal court has dismissed filmmaker Soham Shah’s lawsuit alleging that Netflix’s Squid Game copied his 2009 film Luck. The suit, filed in 2024, claimed both works involved debt-ridden individuals risking their lives for cash prizes. Court rejected the claim, holding that Shah did not own Luck’s copyright and that the “total concept and overall feel” of the two works were materially different. The court noted that Luck carried a tone of magical realism centred on the idea of luck, whereas Squid Game was dark, unsettling, and built around dystopian survival themes.
Read more about it here.
