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By classifying rummy and poker as games of chance, the E-gaming Federation (EGF) plans to contest the recent decree issued by the Tamil Nadu government to outlaw online gaming. The Supreme Court has determined that rummy is primarily a game of skill and that it is therefore protected under Article 19(1)(g) of the Indian Constitution. including rummy under the category of games of chance would be a clear violation of decisions made by the Supreme Court and the Madras High Court, which invalidated the law prohibiting internet gaming.
“After reviewing the ordinance, we have decided to bring a lawsuit since it classifies games of chance like rummy and poker. This conflicts with numerous legal rulings and recent Madras High Court rulings that explicitly distinguished between games of skill and chance. The status of skill-based games as legal commercial endeavors has been reaffirmed by the Supreme Court and several High Courts, and the state must take note of these rulings in order to create an enabling gaming policy that protects players rather than enacting a ban.
In a previous ruling, the Madras High Court had ruled that any game—including rummy and poker—in which the player with the superior skill would win more frequently is a game of skill and not gambling or a game of chance. The Court further ruled that there is no difference between talent used in a real or virtual/online form when it comes to card games like rummy and poker.
A thorough online gaming policy that safeguards players, guarantees that only legal online skill-gaming operators provide their services, and weeds out the ones who flout the law is urgently needed, both for the online skill gaming business and the State of Tamil Nadu.
By 2025, the Indian gaming sector is anticipated to increase from its present $2.2 to $5 billion in revenue. The sector, which is expanding at a CAGR of 38%, has enormous potential for employment and general economic growth. The federal government has also established an inter-ministerial task force (IMTF) and MeITY has had consultations with all stakeholders on how to regulate the online gaming sector in order to fully realize the potential of the sunrise sector.