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New Delhi, Oct 30 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Thursday said it will hear on November 4 petitions transferred to it from various high courts challenging the constitutional validity of the Online Gaming Promotion and Regulation Act, 2025.
The Act, which was approved by Parliament earlier this year, bans all types of “online money games” and restricts banking, advertising and other related services, while promoting and regulating social, educational and eSports-based gaming.
Senior advocates C. Aryaman Sundaram and Arvind P. Datar, appearing for the petitioners, told a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Vishwanathan, whose cases were earlier pending before various high courts.
Sundaram submitted that the issue has already been mentioned before the Chief Justice of India (CJI) for urgent listing.
“My instructing advocate-on-record had mentioned the matter before the learned CJI, who found that it would be appropriate if this bench directs that the matter be taken up on November 4 as scheduled,” he said.
In response, Justice Pardiwala said, “Then we will hear it.” Earlier on September 8, the Supreme Court had transferred to itself several petitions pending before the Delhi, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh High Courts challenging the constitutional validity of the Online Gaming Act.
The central government had sought transfer to avoid multiplicity of proceedings in different courts.
“The proceedings of the Karnataka, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh High Courts are transferred to this Court. The respective High Courts are directed to transfer the entire record along with all the interim applications filed within a week,” the top court had ordered.
Several online gaming companies, including Dream11, PokerBaazi and Rummy Circle, have already closed their real money tournaments after the implementation of the new law.
Under the Act, offering or promoting such games carries severe penalties – including a fine of up to Rs 1 crore and imprisonment of up to three years.
During the monsoon session, Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav introduced the bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha in seven minutes and approved by the Rajya Sabha in just 26 minutes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that this law will protect the society from the adverse effects of online money games.
–IANS
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