The Karnataka High Court has taken up the first legal challenge to India’s new Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, which bans all forms of online money games, including skill-based formats such as rummy and poker.
Justice B M Shyam Prasad issued notice to the Union government, directing it to respond to a petition filed by Head Digital Works, the parent company of gaming platform A23. The company became the first operator to move court against the sweeping ban.
Senior advocates C. Aryama Sundaram and Dhyan Chinappa, appearing for the petitioners, argued that the Act is misleading. Despite its title promising “promotion and regulation,” it effectively imposes a blanket ban. They warned that sudden enforcement could cause a “huge backlash,” destroying jobs, halting businesses, and hurting an industry that has drawn significant investment.
The petitioners requested that the government either delay notification of the law or at least give seven days’ prior notice to allow stakeholders time for legal recourse.
Representing the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the plea, contending that once the President has assented to a bill, notification is a constitutional process that courts cannot halt. However, he acknowledged the notification may be imminent and assured the court he would seek instructions from the government.
The matter will be heard next on September 8 at 2:30 PM.
While A23 has mounted a legal challenge, major players like Dream11, Gameskraft, and MPL have so far refrained from contesting the law in court.
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