Karnataka Home Minister tables Bill to boycott online gaming; industry expresses worries of the move being against a dawn sector. The Karnataka Police (Amendment) Bill, 2021, was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on September 17 to boycott online gaming or betting by amending the Karnataka Police Act of 1963, with the greatest detainment of three years and punishment up to ₹1 lakh.

Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra presented the Bill, which expects to ‘boycott online games, including all types of betting or wagering, including the type of tokens value in terms of money paid previously or after issue of it. It restricted electronic means and virtual money, electronic exchange of assets regarding any game of chance’.

The legal jurisprudence exuding from the Supreme Court in the course of the past 60 years is extremely clear, that games of skill are not gambling, and presenting games of skill is an authentic action secured under the Indian Constitution. This has been repeated on numerous occasions by different high courts, including the Karnataka High Court.

Elaborating this further Justice Vikramajit Sen, a former Judge of the Supreme Court and former Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, added, “The Indian regulatory framework has distinguished between games of skill and games of chance in India. Since games of skill might include an entry fee they can’t be viewed as gambling. Games of chance are viewed as gambling as it includes luck rather than skill and consequently, it is explicitly precluded by the law, wherein games of skill are considered lawful across most states including digital and online. The sector needs the help of state governments to promote drives towards capable gaming and acknowledgment of the AIGF ‘Self-regulation Framework’. AIGF and its advisory members anticipate a chance to draw in stakeholders inside the state government to make an industry portrayal on the matter” Karnataka Home Minister.

With genuine concerns approaching from the Karnataka Government’s move to boycott online gaming, PK Misra, President Players’ Association – AIGF and former senior IAS said, “The move will influence the online skill-based gaming sector, stopping player’s right to earn their livelihood. There is no clearness on the extent of this law, and we stay in constant dread of the players’ livelihood being restricted whenever without earlier information.”

Credits: Insidesport