After Tamil Nadu's Ordinance to Ban Online Gaming, Karnataka Also Considers Banning Online Games

• The government will review similar decisions made by other state governments and taken a decision, Home Minister Basavaraj said.
• It has not been decided yet whether the government is considering a complete prohibition or partial regulations.
• Earlier, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit promulgated an ordinance to ban online gaming in the State.

Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the Karnataka government is considering banning online gambling games, days after the Tamil Nadu government imposed a ban on such games.

Commenting on the matter Basavaraj Bommai said, "A meeting of high-level officers has been held regarding online games. Common people have been troubled, youngsters are being misguided and families distressed. We have received complaints from parents as well, so we are trying to bring regulation laws regarding online games."

However, it has not been decided yet whether the Karnataka government is considering a complete prohibition or partial regulations on online gambling games.

On the same day of the Karnataka government's decision, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit promulgated an ordinance to ban online gaming in the State.

The ordinance provides for banning persons who are wagering or betting in cyberspace using computers or any communication device or resource.

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It levies a Rs 5,000 fine and 6 months of imprisonment for those found to be engaging in it. People who open/keep common gaming houses will be punished with a fine of ₹10,000 and 2 years of imprisonment.

These moves come as an official statement from the Raj Bhavan noted that innocent people, mainly youngsters, were being cheated due to online gaming, and some had even been pushed to take the extreme step.

"We will shortly come up with our own law after referring to regulations in other states. Certainly, there will be total control. Whether prohibition or regulation, will be decided once we get all laws from different states and study them," said Bommai.

The Public Gaming Act of 1867 governs things like gambling and betting in India. Anything that involves money and is predominantly a game of chance is punishable. Rummy was the first to win a Supreme Court sticker of legitimacy in its favor way back in 1968.

In October too, the Andhra Pradesh government banned online gaming and wrote to the union government to direct internet service providers to ban 132 websites and apps which offer gaming, betting, and online gambling.

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