Amid regulation, ‘freemium’ features keep online gaming horrors going | Lucknow News
Lucknow: A teenage gamer’s suicide in a Lucknow suburb recently after spending Rs 13 lakh from his family’s bank accounts on in-game purchases is just one among many horror stories originating from addiction to online gaming, against which a new central legislation kicks in on Oct 1.While the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, bans all forms of online games that involve betting and financial risk, experts warn that “freemium” games masquerading as e-sports remain a surrogate category flying under the radar.These games are supposedly free to start and designed to lure players into buying special features — “exclusive” weapons, skins and power-ups – that create constant pressure on users to spend huge amounts of money. The urge to keep up with the crowd often prompts young gaming enthusiasts to borrow and even steal.“These so-called freemium games are structured in a way that gradually pushes players to make purchases. Their design makes them highly addictive, especially for children and adolescents,” said Pawan Kumar Gupta, a psychiatry professor at King George’s Medical University (KGMU).“These micro transactions may look small – just a few rupees at first – but they can go up to thousands over time. Children and adolescents, whose impulse control is still developing, often cannot resist the urge to spend.”He cited a 14-year-old patient currently being treated at KGMU as a classic case of gaming addiction leading to other uncontrollable associative behaviours. “The boy constantly demands money from his mother and gets violent when denied. He has also engaged in substance abuse. His father lives abroad, and it has become extremely difficult for the mother to manage him,” Gupta said.KGMU receives 15–20 such cases every month, suggesting that the unreported numbers could be much higher since most families avoid seeking medical help.“These games are built with reward systems that release dopamine in the brain, similar to gambling or drugs. Getting a reward after spending money creates a strong urge to repeat the act. When denied, children may lose control and resort to behaviours like stealing, which they normally wouldn’t even consider,” Gupta said.Many “victims” start by secretly using their parents’ debit cards or UPI to splash cash on in-game purchases. What begins as a hobby soon turns into harmful behaviour, blurring boundaries. “Many such children feel lonely, neglected or depressed. When caught, some develop suicidal thoughts or show unruly behaviour,” Gupta said.Prof Adarsh Tripathi, another faculty member at KGMU’s psychiatry department, flags the social pressures behind gaming. “For many teenagers, gaming is closely linked to their social life. Owning the latest skin or most powerful weapon is like a status symbol. They don’t see stealing Rs 500 as a problem since it protects their position in their virtual friend circle. The problem is that many games are open to children as young as 12, yet still allow costly purchases.“Experts urge schools to start workshops and activities focused on “digital hygiene and citizenship”. They say that creating a safe and non-judgemental space for young people is as crucial to combating the problem as bringing legislation.
