<h1>State IT minister warns blanket ban on online real-money gaming will cost revenue, jobs, startups; urges regulation instead</h1> A state IT minister criticised the central government's proposed blanket ban on online real-money gaming, arguing it will cost states significant GST and income tax revenue, threaten thousands of startups and jobs, and deter investment, and urged regulation instead. The Union Cabinet-cleared bill would criminalise offering or advertising online money gaming, prescribing up to three years' imprisonment and fines up to Rs 1 crore for operators and transactors, and up to two years' imprisonment and fines up to Rs 50 lakh for unlawful advertising. The minister warned of migration to unregulated offshore platforms and pointed to ongoing Supreme Court questions over Centre-state regulatory competence.