Telangana Gaming Ordinance comes into force, deems rummy to be a game of chance
Exclusive The has brought into force the Telangana State Gaming (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017 (Ordinance No. 4 of 2017). The Ordinance received the assent of Governor ESL Narasimhan on 17th June, 2017 and is currently in force in th🧸e state of Telangana.
The Ordinance has added a new the term ‘cyber space’ within the meaning of common gaming house, making betting and gambling through the inter💧net and other digital means illegal. Further, the Ordinance has enhanced penalties (both fine and imprisonment term) on gaming operators as well as players.
The Orꦡdinance has further given powers to any police officer𓆉 above the rank of sub-inspector to seize all investments and monies used for gaming and freeze bank accounts used for the purpose of gaming.
The Ordinance has also inserted three explanations to Section 15 of the T🌌elangana Gaming Act which exempts ‘games of skill’ from the ambit of gambling. The explanations state that a game has to be totalꦛly based on the skill and ability of the person to be classified as game of skill.
The📖 se🌺cond explanation to the game of skill exemption states that any game which partly depends on skill and partly on luck or chance cannot be termed as a game of skill.
The third explanation to the ordinanceꦐ expressly states that rummy is not a skill game as it is partly based on skill and partly based on luck or chance.
The Ordinance has wide-ranging implications on the online skill games industry as the future of rummy companies’ hangs in baﷺlance. Online rummy operators are sure to challenge this Ordinance in the High Court as it has tried to overrule an express Supreme Couℱrt judgment which states that the game of rummy is not merely a game of chance and involves a substantial degree of skill.
Note: The fully text of the Ordinance can be accessed
