An Analysis of Tamil Nadu Gaming Ordinance, 2022

The Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Ordinance, 2022 provides for the complete prohibition of online gambling in the state of Tamil Nadu. Online gambling which included wagering, betting, and games played for money or other stakes, etc. this ordinance also banned playing games of chance and specifies a certain condition for the same. The punishments for playing such games or providing such games are properly provided in this ordinance. Gaming authority is established to manage all the players in the gaming industry along with guiding non-local game service providers. A required distinction between a game of chance and a game of skill is also discussed which leads to the proposition that poker and rummy constitute the game of skill. But the above-mentioned view was not highlighted by the Ordinance. This led to a major conflict of interest between the state legislature and the gaming industry. The non-involvement of these two games in the category of games of skill is dubious. It is speculated that this is the predominant reason of the Governor of Tamil Nadu Mr R.N. Ravi for not giving his assent to the said Ordinance. This research paper exposes us to the conundrum surrounding the prohibition of online rummy and poker in the State. The paper unveils the current scenario of the online gaming industry in the state of Tamil Nadu. The scholar attempts to investigate the key issues highlighted by the ordinance, standards of the game for all age groups, limitations on the customers, and service providers and its repercussions. This paper attempts to give a holistic view of the above ordinance to its readers.