Delhi HC rejected banning card gaming

The Delhi High Court declined to impose a regulation on the activity.

India.- The Delhi High Court decided not to ban online card games in a resolution delivered to the two petitioners that asked for regulation.

The petitioners argued that gaming and gambling websites made people spend their money on games of chance, such as poker and blackjack, with no skills involved. Also, they said that most online gaming websites were based outside of India. That means a flight of foreign exchange from the country. 

Given that gambling is illegal in India, this petition could cause the prohibition of poker and games such as rummy not just in Delhi but across the whole country.

However, the decision of Delhi Court is based on the fact that online gaming sites, including those of card games, are “technologically infeasible”: there are many states with laws that partially or fully allow these activities.

The Court explained that it would be possible to act against these activities if a gambling site is being hosted in the national capital or if there were instances of offline gambling.

The Reserve Bank of India stated that it has taken every step possible under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) to prohibit, forbid and bar any kind of transaction which was illegal and contrary to forex laws.