MHC adjourns batch of petitions against the online rummy ban

CHENNAI: The Chief Justice of the Madras High Court (MHC) has adjourned the batch of petitions challenging the ban on online games, to August 14. The senior counsel Kapil Sibal advocated for the State contended that online games are banned in Tamil Nadu as it disturbs the public order.

Kapil Sibal argued that playing rummy in offline and online is not the same, in online the gaming companies use artificial intelligence, hence both are different from each other. When rummy is played offline only can be considered as a game of skill.

The senior counsel questioned that rummy may be a game of skill, but can we allow betting. According to the gaming companies that minors (below 18) are not allowed to play only on the basis of the self-declaration the players are allowed to play quoting Kapil Sibal wondered how the self-declaration can be checked. further, he contended that some studies says, 76 percent of children were affected by online games, including visual impairment and study impairment.

Banning of online games is a policy decision of the Tamil Nadu government as it disturbs the public order the online games were banned in the State, contended the senior counsel.

The bench posted the matter to August 14, for further submission.

Challenging the law enacted by the State government to ban online games, gaming companies filed a batch of petitions in the MHC and the counsels representing the petitioners had already presented their submission. The senior counsel Kapil Sibal for the State commenced his submission defending the ban.