EPWA asks Tamil Nadu government to recognize skill-based games as separate sport: Details
India’s eSports Athletes Authority EPWA has urged the Tamil Nadu government to recognize games of skill as a separate sport, not to combine it with gambling and provide a safe haven for those who are interested. professional players, a senior official with the organization said on Friday. “We sent representatives to the state government on August 13. We asked the Tamil Nadu government to recognize games of skill as a separate sport and not to associate it with gambling and gambling. provide safe harbor for professional players,” Electronic Sports Players Welfare Association (EPWA) Director Shivani Jha told PTI.
In August last year, the Madras High Court issued a recent amendment made to the Tamil Nadu Games Act, passed in 1930, which imposed a ban on playing the game of rummy and online poker with bets. Bench has declared Part II of the TN Gaming & Police Laws (Amendment) Act 2021, unconstitutional, prohibiting betting or wagering in cyberspace and also games of skill if played for bets, bets, money or other bets.
However, the bench gave the state freedom to pass another law without any strings attached.
Tamil Nadu has established a committee chaired by retired Justice K Chandru to advise on the enactment of new online gaming laws. The state government has invited stakeholders to comment on the new legislation.
Chess master Ankit Rajpara advocates for online gamers who have sought central government intervention in the states’ ban. “In the past, the central government has comforted players in meetings with stakeholders that we will not be considered criminals, however, state governments continue to do this,” said Rajpara. opposite.
Jha said many laws and placing skill-based games in the same category as gambling are leading to criminalization of skill-based players.
“While India is participating in international tournaments and developers are creating new games, it is imperative for the state to regulate online gaming based on skill. Furthermore, the courts have many times stated the rulings state that the state government can only make laws about online gambling, not the game. , which puts players at risk and equates them with gamblers and criminals, ” she said.