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SportsBaazi Geo-Blocked In Chhatisgarh

The popular fantasy sports app SportsBaazi has now been geo-blocked in the state of Chhattisgarh, but it is allowed to carry out its services as usual.  The court hearing stems from a PIL against illegal betting apps in the state and the country. On 5th May, the Court ordered the blocking of several websites, including SportsBaazi, under section 79(3) of the IT Act. The PIL alleged that the websites were engaging in online gambling.

The Court noted that the distinction between “Games of Skill” and “Games of Chance” is well established. It observed that games of skill fall under the Union List, while gambling is governed by the State List. As a result, the State of Chhattisgarh did not have the jurisdiction to impose restrictions beyond its own territory.

Considering the submissions, Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad held that the blocking order was beyond the State’s jurisdiction. He directed both platforms to geo-block their apps and websites only within the State of Chhattisgarh until further orders. The petitioners were allowed to continue their operations across the rest of India.

Real-money gaming and poker apps are experiencing a challenging phase in India. The GST the Government asks for—28% of the entire deposit—is now a case that’s ongoing in the Supreme Court. When the GST notice first hit the real-money gaming industry in 2023, many real-money gaming apps shut down. Even in 2025, even as the court case is going on, Pocket52 has said that it has temporarily paused its operations. 

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ALSO READ: Online Poker Platform Pocket52 Shuts Amidst GST Turmoil

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Meanwhile, poker is fast gaining mainstream traction in India. JioHostar recently streamed the National Poker Championship, an online poker tournament that originated in the National Poker Series, which was set in collaboration with PokerBaazi. More recently, an exclusive poker tournament, the Founders Poker Series, was held, featuring some of the most popular startup founders.

Another popular live poker series, the Poker Sports League, was again streamed on Jio Hotstar. Its CEO promised a bigger, better upcoming season. With so much going on in the poker industry, it remains to be seen what happens next. 

Gutshot Magazine provides all the news and updates pertaining to the real money gaming and poker industry. From poker tournament series itineraries to winners lists and interviews with some of the biggest names in the industry, we have it all. We also keep a tab on all the federal and corporate decisions that might impact the real money gaming industry. To know more, keep reading!

 

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