The Supreme Court issued a notice to the Center and sought its response on a PIL seeking the Center to ban online gambling and betting platforms allegedly operating under the guise of social and e-sports games.
A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan ordered that the suit be marked on a series of petitions challenging the Online Gaming Promotion and Regulation Act, 2025 (Online Gaming Act).
Government counsel told the apex court that the reliefs it is praying for are directly covered by the new online gaming legislation, which is yet to come into force.
In its order, the bench said, “According to the petitioner, as of today there are about two thousand betting and gambling applications. The petitioner wants the government to take immediate action in this regard in the larger public interest which will especially affect the youth of the country. Notice of the issue. Let an appropriate reply be filed to the petition.”
The petition, filed by the Center for Accountability and Systemic Change (CASC), sought direction on a harmonious interpretation of the provisions of the Online Gaming Promotion and Regulation Act of 2025 and state laws prohibiting online gambling and betting games operated as social and e-sports platforms.
Advocate Virag Gupta, appearing for the petitioning NGO, said the petition is aimed at protecting children from being exposed to such apps.
The petition sought to direct the Union Ministries of Electronics and Information Technology, Information and Broadcasting, Finance and Youth Affairs and Sports to make a harmonious interpretation of the provisions of the Online Gaming Promotion and Regulation Act, 2025 and laws passed by state legislatures to ban online gambling and betting games conducted under the guise of social and e-sports games.
The plea urged the top court to order the government to stop the proliferation of betting and gambling apps it claims are causing widespread social and economic harm across the country.
The lawsuit said this unchecked expansion of online gaming has created what they describe as a national crisis affecting “half of India’s population” and leading to financial ruin, mental health problems and even suicides.
The petition sought a nationwide ban on online gambling and betting platforms operating as esports or party games.
The plea also sought directions to the RBI, NPCI and UPI platforms to ban any monetary transactions involving unregistered gaming apps.
