MONDAY, April
24, 2023
Just one quarter into
2023, the Government of India has begun
delivering on its promise to support the
sunrise online gaming industry. The AVCG
(Animation, Visual Effects and Gaming) Task
Force’s report suggested several measures
to boost India’s online gaming industry.
The industry’s calls for Central regulations
were answered with a Central Ministry (MeitY)
being appointed for the industry, and the
introduction of Central rules to regulate
real money online games. Years-old ambiguity
on TDS obligations applicable to online
gaming operators was answered with clarity
being provided on tax base, and timing of
deduction of tax deducted at source (TDS)
for online games in the Union Budget announcement
(2023).
However, while several
promising steps towards certainty have been
taken, ambiguities and questions remain
open. Will the new Central regulations quell
State-wise action against skill gaming platforms?
Will self-regulatory gaming bodies designated
under the Central rules effectively regulate
the industry? Will the long- anticipated
Goods and Services Tax (GST) framework support
the growth of the industry?
We aim to answer these
questions, and more in our Webinar ‘NEW
DAWN FOR INDIA’S ONLINE GAMING INDUSTRY:
OVERHAUL OF REGULATORY AND TAX REGIME FOR
ONLINE GAMES’. We break down the developments
in the first quarter of 2023, discuss where
further clarity and work is required, and
muse what the rest of the year will bring.
We are joined by leading industry professionals,
along with our legal and tax experts at
NDA.
Flow of the session
07:30
– 08:45 PM (IST)
|
Panel Session
|
08:45
– 9:00 PM (IST)
|
Audience Q&A
|
Speakers:
 |
Kapil Chaudhary
General
Counsel
Junglee
Games
|
Kapil Chaudhary is an
established and reputable legal, privacy
& technology professional with over two
decades of experience in General Counsel
leadership roles, advising on a wide-variety
of risk, technology and commercial issues.
He's served in Legal leadership roles across
companies like Schumberger, IBM, Autodesk
and Twitter. He's a Member, IAPP and Fellow,
Singapore Institute of Arbitrators. As General
Counsel for Junglee Games and part of the
international Legal and Risk team at Flutter
International, he currently leads the Legal,
Risk, Regulatory and Policy function at
India's fastest growing online skill based gaming company.
 |
Roland Landers
CEO
All
India Gaming Federation
|
Roland Landers is the
CEO of the All India Gaming Federation,
India’s apex self-regulatory gaming body.
The All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) is
the oldest, largest and the most diverse
industry association for online gaming in
India. AIGF currently has over 100 online
gaming companies and game developer studios
as members, with a combined user base of
more than 40 crore Indians. AIGF also established
the first self-regulatory body, All India
Skill Gaming Council (AISGC) for the skill
gaming sector in 2016. Roland is an accomplished
leader in Online Gaming & Sport Business
with comprehensive experience of over 25
years in managing and executing strategic
initiatives that have contributed to profitable
business growth.
 |
Afaan Arshad
Leader,
International Tax
Nishith
Desai Associates
|
Afaan Arshad is member
of the International Tax Group at NDA. He
has obtained a bachelor’s degree in law
from School of Law, Christ University Bangalore.
He specializes in a vast array of issues
within the domain of international tax advisory
and litigation. Some areas of focus include
tax treaty law, indirect transfer tax, Indian
GAAR, transfer pricing, cross border transactions,
tax indemnities, digital taxation etc. He
is also a member of the Warranty & Indemnity
Insurance Practice Group at NDA that assists
insurance companies with their legal underwriting
for India-focused transactions.
 |
TANISHA
KHANNA
Leader,
TMT, IP and Gaming Law Practice
Group
Nishith
Desai Associates
|
Tanisha is an integral
member of the TMT, IP and Gaming Law Practice
Group at the multi-skilled, research based
international law firm Nishith Desai Associates.
She has been recommended as a Leading Lawyer
for Gaming in India by Who’s Who Legal in
2021 and 2022.
Tanisha has advised
clients across various industries including
gaming, IP, media and entertainment, and
general commercial laws. She has been particularly
involved in advising clients on gaming transactions,
structuring operators’ India businesses,
and in issuing opinions on the legality
of game formats (including social games,
Poker, Rummy and Fantasy Sports).
Apart from transactional
and advisory work, she has also been integrally
involved in a number of litigations and
arbitrations and pre- litigation strategy
in the gaming and media and entertainment
industry.
Tanisha has played a
key role in the firm’s policy initiatives
and representations to the Government. She
regularly writes thought leadership and
research articles and papers for internationally
acclaimed publications in the gaming space.
Tanisha has completed her LLB in the UK
as well as in India.
 |
Ipsita Agarwalla
Member,
International Tax and Fund Formation
Practice
Nishith
Desai Associates
|
Ipsita has over 5 years
of experience in international taxation,
M&A and fund formation. She is experienced
in advising several clients on domestic
M&A transactions and restructurings, inbound
investments and repatriation, private equity
transactions.
She frequently advises
on tax issues to several technology companies
on tax and structuring issues, from an international
tax and GST perspective including on upcoming
technologies and digital products such as
block-chain, crypto, non-fungible tokens
and gaming. She is passionate regarding
the social finance and impact investment
space. She has assisted in the launch of
one of India’s first-of-a-kind, USD 14.4
million Skill Impact Bond.
She is also a member
of the funds practice at Nishith Desai Associates
where she advices on funds structuring and
documentation of funds (domestic including
GIFT City funds and offshore funds). She
is also involved in advising various private
equity clients with respect to their carry
structures. She is extensively involved
in the firms’ effort on identifying new
opportunities and leveraging the new international
financial services centre at GIFT City,
Gujarat.
She also writes regularly
on contemporary international tax issues
and has been involved with several initiatives
within the firm, particularly for taxation
of financial transactions and digital taxation.
Moderator:
 |
GOWREE GOKHALE
Head
– TMT & IP
Nishith
Desai Associates
|
A practicing lawyer
for 24 years, Gowree Gokhale leads the IP,
Technology, Media and Entertainment, and
data protection law practices of Nishith
Desai Associates. She has assisted several
international businesses in India entry
strategy, corporate and strategic deals,
litigation and arbitration in TMT and Pharma
sector.
Gowree Gokhale is a
member of the prestigious International
Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL) a closed-group
of lawyers specialising in gaming laws.
She has spearheaded
several policy initiatives for the TMT and
Pharma industry including for online content
companies, gaming industry, IT industry
as also for privacy and data protection
laws. She has also been consistently working
on high tech industry aspects. She has been
named in several legal directories, including
in in the Hall of Fame (TMT) in Legal 500.
One of the foremost
authorities on IP management and protection
strategy, Gowree has been the leading voice
on several IP and technology related matters.
She has been instrumental in devising IP
litigation strategies for clients and has
led several IP litigations before several
prestigious forums in India.
