Filing to ban online gambling in Karnataka dismissed

The case was filed last September but has been dismissed because the Karnataka legislative assembly has already passed a bill to ban all gambling in the state.

India.- Last September, one Sharada D.R filed a case against the state of Karnataka calling for all forms of online gambling to be banned. The High Court of Karnataka has now dismissed the case since the government has effectively already done that.

The government has already amended the Karnataka Police Act 1963 to ban all forms of gambling in the state, including online gambling. The revised law provides for three years’ imprisonment instead of one year for gambling, and a fine of up to RS100,000. The law only excludes betting on horse races from the scope of gambling.

Chief Justice Awasthi stated: “The State Government has brought an amendment in the Karnataka Police Act, 1963 and as such, the writ petition in the present form has become infructuous.”

Gaming companies have criticised Karnataka’s gambling ban arguing that it will damage the state’s standing as a tech centre and start-up capital.

Biren Ghose, the chairman of the CII’s National Committee on AVGC and president of the Association of Bangalore Animation Industry (ABAI) said: “The current bill that Karnataka has passed banning online games is a massive blow to the fastest growing sector in Indian entertainment.”

Roland Landers, AIGF CEO, filed a petition against the Karnataka state government‘s decision and the Karnataka High Court has announced that it will listen to the petition.

According to the Economic Times, the petition seeks interim relief, including suspending the implementation of the recent amendments to the Police Act related to online games and instructing the state government not to file a lawsuit under the law while the petition is pending. 

The petitioners stated that the Madras High Court recently overturned a similar law that tried to block online skill games in Tamil Nadu.