The Video Games Federation will challenge an ordinance issued by the Tamil Nadu government to ban online gaming because it classifies rummy and poker as games of chance, the industry body said on Wednesday.
The Video Games Federation (EGF), whose members include Games24x7, MPL and Junglee Games, invoked the Supreme Court’s order, according to the industry body, to consider rummy a game of skill.
“Putting rummy into a game of chance is a direct violation of Supreme Court rulings, and the Madras High Court ruling overturned a law banning online games including rummy and poker,” EGF said. know in a statement.
Tamil Nadu has issued a decree banning online gambling and regulation Game online in the state and said an online gaming regulator would be established to exercise the powers conferred by this ordinance.
Authorities will regulate online games, issue registration certificates to local online game providers in addition to identifying online games of chance – rummy and poker – and monitor operations of online game providers in the state, among others.
“After reviewing the ordinance, we have decided to file a lawsuit because it classifies rummy and poker as games of chance. This is in contrast to many legal rulings including the recent Supreme Court ruling. High Madras, where games of skill and chance are clearly separated.
“The Supreme Court and several high courts have reaffirmed the status of skill-based gaming as legitimate business and that the state must take these rulings into account in developing a game policy. the game is more suited to protecting players than resorting to a ban,” EGF CEO Sameer Barde said in the statement.
EGF says the need of the hour is for a comprehensive online games policy to protect players and ensure that only legitimate online skill game operators offer their services while removing law breakers.
The industry body says the Indian gaming market is expected to grow from $2.2 billion at present (nearly Rs 18,300) to $5 billion (nearly crore 41,500) by 2025.
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