Thiruvananthapuram: Months after the Kerala High Court set aside a state government notification prohibiting online rummy games, a bid to bring in an amendment to impose a total ban on such gambling that is blamed for several suicides is on.
Though the State had banned online rummy last year, the High Court revoked the ban considering a plea by four gaming companies a few months later. The Government is now attempting to bring a ban again in the context of suicides by some of those who lost lakhs in the rummy ‘gamble’.
This time the Kerala government may bring a loophole-free amendment so that playing rummy online for money is totally prohibited.
The Home department has handed over the recommendation filed by State Police Chief Anil Kanth to the Department of Law. The response was that the Government can go ahead with the amendment. The move is to amend Section 3 of the Kerala Gaming Act 1960.
How first ban fizzled out
In February 2021, Kerala Government banned online rummy in the State for the first time. In September 2021, the High Court, considering a plea from four gaming companies, quashed the State’s ban and observed that rummy is a ‘game of skill.’ The High Court had also pointed out that the ban citing that the game is being played on an online platform, is unconstitutional and discriminatory.
As per the Kerala Gaming Act Section 14, no restrictions can be imposed if, in any game, the element of skill is more predominant than the element of chance. Rummy is included in the list of games which are mentioned in Section (A) as those which cannot be restricted as it is a ‘game of skill’.
The Home department has recommended curtailing playing online rummy for money by making amendments to Section 14 (A). It would be amended in such a way that it is brought under ‘the game of chance’ as the game is played with money at stake. Violation may be penalised with one-year imprisonment and/or Rs 10,000 fine.
Gaming law comes under the ambit of the State Government.
A score suicides
Police attribute more than 20 suicides in Kerala to loss of money in online rummy
The game of online rummy for money became popular in Kerala during the COVID-19 lockdown. According to the State Police, more than 20 suicides in Kerala are attributed to the loss of money by playing rummy online.
The State Governments of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka had also banned online rummy earlier. Nevertheless, the High Courts in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka had quashed the bans.
As the number of suicides shot up owing to the loss of money in online gambling and gaming, the Government of Tamil Nadu is also mooting to ban online rummy again. The committee formed for the same has filed their report last week in that State.
