Sidharth MP
Chennai: The Madurai bench of Madras High Court on Friday (July 24) observed that the Centre and state governments could pass laws to put a nationwide ban on online games like Online Rummy, card games, and others that involve money.
The court drew a parallel to the recent Telangana government Ordinance amending the Telangana Gaming Act 1974, banning Online Rummy. The state has now prohibited users from playing real cash games.
The Madras HC's observations came up while hearing a plea filed by a person named Siluvai from Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district. The issue pertains to a case slapped against Siluvai and his friends for playing cards at private land in a rural area.
The plea submitted that the group of friends had neither obstructed a footpath nor caused inconvenience to the public, therefore, the case to be quashed.
Justice B Pugalendhi observed that the Tamil Nadu government had prevented many untoward incidents caused by addiction towards gambling by banning the sale of physical and online lottery tickets in 2003.
The contemporary online games including rummy, card games and many other online games have seen people squandering money, noted Justice Pugalendhi, adding that the youth were particularly affected by this they were wasting their valuable time, as well as ability to think leading to unwanted consequences for society.
Justice Pugalendhi further observed that the Central and state governments could pass laws banning such online games involving money, given how a large number of unemployed youth were indulging in this activity.
