Bill Banning Online Gambling Gets Green Light In TN

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The Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi has given his assent to a Bill proposing a complete ban on online gambling in the state. The bill, called the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gaming and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022, specifies a fine of up to INR 5,000, or imprisonment of up to three months, for those participating in gambling online. The new Act also proposes imprisonment of up to a year for platforms advertising such games and up to three years for the organizers of such games. The head of the Tamil Nadu online gaming panel, Justice K Chandru, recently called for a complete ban on online gambling in the state, disregarding the recently notified online gaming rules by the Union government. The industry body, All India Gaming Federation, plans to challenge the constitutionality of the law once it is notified. However, the Governor has now given his assent to the Bill, which proposes a complete ban on online gambling in Tamil Nadu and brings online gaming platforms under the state government’s ambit. The new law, called the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gaming and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022, specifies a fine of up to INR 5,000, or imprisonment of up to three months, for those participating in gambling online. It also proposes imprisonment of up to a year for platforms advertising such games and a jail term of up to three years for the organizers of such games. Industry players, however, are not happy with the move and plan to challenge the constitutionality of the law once it is notified.