Kerala HC Refuses To Stay Ban On Online Rummy

After the petition was filed by Gameskraft Technologies Private Ltd, Bengaluru, a firm operating online game platforms, the Kerala High Court, on Thursday, declined to stay a government notification bringing online rummy games under the purview of the Kerala Gaming Act.

“Though the government had earlier exempted online rummy games from the provisions of the Act, it banned online rummy when the same was played for stakes, even though such games have been judicially held to be one of skill,” the plea said.

The Kerala government's stance was to subsidize states such as Tamil Nadu who had introduced similar measures to ban the game and no stay or interim relief was granted by the other HCs.

Online gaming companies are complaining that rummy is a game of skill and the amendment of section 14A of the Kerala Gaming Act of 1960 only covered games of chance, not skill games. However, Kerala High Court stated that it does not agree with the stance of the state government as it asked the Kerala Government to present a statement by May 29.