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Kerala CM Contemplating Legislative Amendment To Restrict Online Gambling

Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan recently announced that the state would be taking serious action against the situations arising due to the addition of online gaming. 

The Kerala government will implement foolproof and effective legislative amendments which will be further approved by the High Court. It will strongly restrict online games including rummy, the Chief Minister in the Assembly on 23rd August 2022. 

A.P. Anil Kumar submitted a letter that requested the necessity for strongly restricting or even banning online rummy via legislation. The letter also stated the addiction of the game has led to many individuals to financial trouble and even to death in the state. Vijayan responded by saying that the state is considering taking serious situations due to the situations arising because of the addiction of the game. 

Earlier the government had amended the Kerala Gaming Act of 1960 in 2021 that directed banning online gambling activities that involved online rummy. Following the ban, several gaming companies approached the Kerala High Court. Later on 27th September 2021 a single bench of the High Court quashed the ban. 

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The State government filed an appeal against the judgement of the HC, which is currently under consideration. The CM further added that the game sites attract children as well as adults, since they offer free games with attractive incentives, gifts and more, thus addicting the people and attracting them to gambling. 

The rising popularity of online rummy led to the emergence of several mobile apps offering loans for gambling. Several addicted individuals fell into traps of debt, leading to individuals committing suicide since they couldn’t they recoup through gambling and were unable to repay the debts. 

Vijayan added that when the Government was trying its best to control online gambling, several prominent celebrities chose to appear in advertisements for these online games. This influences and persuades people to join the platforms.  

Since now that the government does not have legal mechanisms to curb the online card games-based gambling, the new amendments will focus on creating awareness against these games in schools and colleges, with the support from the Police and other departments. Awareness campaigns would be carried out through the media, social policing and various schemes of the student police cadets.

The CM also assured that actions will be taken against offenders involved in crimes related to online Rummy and other cyber crimes committed in the name of gaming.

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