MADURAI: Observing that online games lure the unemployed youth with the promise that they can earn money, the Madras high court on Friday said it hopes that the state government will take note of the present alarming situation and pass suitable legislation to regulate and control them through licence.
The court passed the order while quashing an FIR registered against a government school teacher for playing cards in a farmland in Tirunelveli district in June.
Justice B Pugalendhi raised a query to the police that when they are very particular in implementing the Tamil Nadu Gaming Act by registering a case even if a person is playing cards near a thorny bush, how online rummy is permitted in the state.
The judge said an assistant inspector general of police, who filed a status report on behalf of the director general of police, stated that there was no rule to regulate and license online skill games such as rummy, bridge, nap, poker and fantasy sports and others.
The judge observed, "We should not lose sight of the fact that nowadays, almost in all the social media, youngsters are being attracted to play such online games, by alluring with prize money. Gaming sites are also partaking a slice on the winning hand, as of a virtual gambling house. In fact, these online games lure the unemployed youth so that they can earn money by playing these games."
"This court is not against virtual games, but the anguish of this court is that there should be a regulatory body to monitor and regulate the legal gaming activities, be it in the real world or the virtual world," observed the judge.
Citing that the state government had banned lottery and enacted the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Charging Exorbitant Interest Act to wipe the tears of affected people, the judge said, “this court hopes and trusts that the government shall pass suitable legislation to regulate such online gaming.”
The court passed the order while quashing an FIR registered against a government school teacher for playing cards in a farmland in Tirunelveli district in June.
Justice B Pugalendhi raised a query to the police that when they are very particular in implementing the Tamil Nadu Gaming Act by registering a case even if a person is playing cards near a thorny bush, how online rummy is permitted in the state.
The judge said an assistant inspector general of police, who filed a status report on behalf of the director general of police, stated that there was no rule to regulate and license online skill games such as rummy, bridge, nap, poker and fantasy sports and others.
The judge observed, "We should not lose sight of the fact that nowadays, almost in all the social media, youngsters are being attracted to play such online games, by alluring with prize money. Gaming sites are also partaking a slice on the winning hand, as of a virtual gambling house. In fact, these online games lure the unemployed youth so that they can earn money by playing these games."
"This court is not against virtual games, but the anguish of this court is that there should be a regulatory body to monitor and regulate the legal gaming activities, be it in the real world or the virtual world," observed the judge.
Citing that the state government had banned lottery and enacted the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Charging Exorbitant Interest Act to wipe the tears of affected people, the judge said, “this court hopes and trusts that the government shall pass suitable legislation to regulate such online gaming.”
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