Supreme Court dismisses Andhra Pradesh appeal against order on online rummy

The Andhra Pradesh government will have to form a committee to determine if online rummy is a game of skill or chance.

India.- The Supreme Court has dismissed the Andhra Pradesh Government’s appeal questioning the High Court’s call for an expert committee to decide whether rummy is a game of skill or chance. The case, presented by senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, is linked to the enactment of a law banning online gambling, similar to a law enacted in Tamil Nadu. 

The amendment imposes imprisonment for up to one year and fines of Rs5,000 (US$67.84) for first-time offenders, and up to two years in jail and a fine of Rs10,000 (US$135.68) for every subsequent offence. Online rummy companies filed a writ petition seeking to be exempted from the new legislation. In response, the High Court asked the government to set up a special committee to look into the matter.

In the event that online rummy companies prevail, the order passed by the High Court will not take effect for three weeks in order to allow the state government to approach the Supreme Court again.