Tamil Nadu Establishes Gaming Authority in Response to Enactment of Ban

The newly-formed Online Gaming Authority in Tamil Nadu will consist of a five-member team, in response to the state’s recent ban on online gaming activities, including online rummy and poker.

After receiving the assent of Governor TN Ravi, the government of Tamil Nadu has implemented a new law prohibiting online rummy and poker. As part of this development, the creation of the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority, along with the “Regulation of Online Games Rules,” was announced on Friday, April 21.

As per G2G News, the enforcement of the newly enacted law will be supervised by the recently established Online Gaming Authority, which will be comprised of five members. This authority will be headed by a retired bureaucrat of the rank not lower than chief secretary, and will be entrusted with the following responsibilities:

• Establishing a regulatory framework for all forms of online games
• Issuing certificates to online games providers in compliance with regulations
• Identifying and prohibiting online games of chance from being played for stakes
• Monitoring and overseeing the operations of online games providers in Tamil Nadu
• Collecting and maintaining comprehensive information and data on online games providers’ activities
• Formulating regulations pertaining to time limits, monetary limits, and age restrictions for online games in compliance with guidelines.

The new legislation mandates that online rummy and poker providers must implement either geo-blocking technology or due diligence requirements to prevent users from Tamil Nadu from accessing their games. Violators of this provision could face fines of Rs 5,000 and a three-month imprisonment.

Industry bodies have expressed their intention to challenge the law in court, as opponents argue that it infringes upon personal freedoms and may result in an increase in black-market gambling activities. The developments and outcomes of this legal challenge will be closely monitored by other Indian states, as it could set a precedent for similar regulations in the future.