A recommendation to ban online gaming with money as stake by an expert committee in Tamil Nadu has been put up for public comments till August 12, according to an official statement on Sunday.
After at least 20 deaths by suicide in the recent past, and most recently by a woman over gambling debts allegedly incurred by playing online rummy, the state government on June 10 constituted a committee led by K Chandru, former judge of the Madras High Court to look into the matter. The panel has submitted its suggestions in a report.
The general public can mail their feedback to homesec@tn.gov.in till August 12. A meeting of stakeholders will be held on August 11, the statement said.
“The need to ban, regulate online gambling has been brought to the attention of the Government. Leaders across Political Parties, Psychologists, Social activists etc. have been highlighting the ill effects of addiction to online games and gambling,” the statement said. “About 20 deaths have been reported in the recent past due to the financial distress caused because of online rummy...The Committee’s report is under the active consideration of the State Government.”
Any organisation with interest in the issue can make a separate representation to the authorities by sending their requests by August 9, the statement added.
{{/usCountry}}Any organisation with interest in the issue can make a separate representation to the authorities by sending their requests by August 9, the statement added.
{{/usCountry}}The government had given the four-member panel headed by justice Chandru two weeks to submit a report to enable the government to promulgate an ordinance regulating online gaming. Besides the former judge, the panel comprisedSankararaman, a professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras; Lakshmi Vijayakumar, a psychiatrist and founder of SNEHA, a non-profit that works to prevent suicides; and additional director general of police Vinit Dev Wankhede.
The committee analysed the risks of online gaming and the need to regulate advertisements promoting online rummy. In its report, the panel recommended a ban on all online games with financial stakesby bringing in a new law.
A special session of the state cabinet session was held on June 27 to review the panel’s findings.
In November 2020, the previous All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government headed by Edapaddi K Palaniswami had amended a 90-year-old law to ban online gaming, including online rummy.
In August 2021, the Madras High Court had overturned the government’s decision after hearing a batch of pleas challenging the move.
The MK Stalin-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government moved the Supreme Court against the state high court’s order, but the case has not come up for hearing.
Palaniswami has been critical of the DMK government for failing to ban online gaming.
Anbumani Ramadoss of the Pattali Makkal Katchi, an ally of the National Democratic Alliance, has also advocated a ban to prevent deaths.