RESPONSIBLE GAMING IN METAVERSE: AN ANALYSIS of THE REGULATORY APPROACHES

Over the years, the metaverse has garnered significant attention, as reflected in Facebook’s rebranding to Meta and its strategic acquisition initiatives. It has become a key focus of technological innovation in the gaming sector. Despite its growing prominence, a universally accepted definition remains elusive. This article analyses the challenges and opportunities associated with metaverse gaming platforms, with particular emphasis on addressing player safety and sexual harassment concerns in virtual environments. It critiques existing legal frameworks for their inadequacy in safeguarding users from a responsible gaming perspective. It also explores the potential regulatory approaches and offers recommendations to make the metaverse gaming platforms safe and inclusive. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for further research on regulatory sandboxes for testing metaverse gaming platforms in the Indian context.