Opinion Online real-money gaming ban: An addiction for our children, curbed

Parents often discover the problem too late — when credit card bills spike, academic performance collapses, or a child’s mental health has begun to deteriorate. Families describe a toxic home atmosphere, filled with secrecy, arguments, and emotional distress. In such cases, therapy is not enough. Prevention through regulation or, when necessary, prohibition is a legitimate and urgent public health response.

Online gaming today is not what it was a decade ago. What appears to be harmless entertainment is, in reality, designed to keep users hooked. These games are not simply “fun distractions”. They are immersive environments that condition the brain to crave more play, more wins, more risk. The line between skill and chance blurs rapidly. Many adolescents lose track of time, lie about usage, steal to fund gameplay, or suffer from anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation when they lose or are forced to stop. The resulting tension often spills into the household, straining relationships and eroding trust between parents and children.

This addiction is not theoretical. Across India, there are numerous cases of children draining family bank accounts, falling into debt, or spiralling into behavioural and emotional distress. In some tragic instances, the consequences have included suicide. Despite these human costs, the mental-health dimension of this crisis is too often absent from policy discussions and public commentary.

A ban can seem like a protective measure, removing the source of harm. It also offers families an immediate sense of relief by reducing conflicts and financial losses. Partial bans or stricter age-gating can be particularly effective, helping protect minors while allowing informed adults to engage responsibly. By limiting exposure for younger users, partial restrictions can delay the onset of addictive behaviours and offer parents a safer environment to guide healthy digital habits.

However, the psychology of addiction is rarely that simple. When compulsive behaviour is forcibly interrupted without therapeutic intervention, it often re-emerges in other forms, a phenomenon known as psychological displacement. Children who lose their primary coping mechanism may turn to more harmful behaviours such as compulsive pornography consumption, social media overuse, or even substance abuse. Without guidance, the family environment can remain tense, with children seeking escape in even less regulated spaces.

Children caught in the grip of addiction often become irritable, secretive, or aggressive when access is restricted. To truly protect children and adolescents, any form of ban must be accompanied by a comprehensive mental health framework. This means integrating routine mental health screenings in schools, expanding access to child-friendly counselling services, and training educators and parents to recognise warning signs of distress. Awareness campaigns on digital addiction must target students and caregivers alike.

By treating this issue as a behavioural health challenge rather than a purely disciplinary problem, India can begin to heal the emotional rifts that gaming addiction creates within families. India’s youth deserve more than just a firewall. They deserve support and care. By and by combining thoughtful regulation with robust counselling and prevention programmes, the country can create a safer digital environment, one where families find balance, and children grow up with healthier relationships to technology.

The writer is a psychologist and special educator