KOCHI: The High Court on Thursday declined to stay a government notification bringing online rummy games under the purview of the Kerala Gaming Act. The petition was filed by Gameskraft Technologies Private Ltd, Bengaluru, a firm operating online game platforms. “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.
It said the government had no power to exclude a game previously placed outside the Act’s purview.
The government said states such as Tamil Nadu too had introduced similar measures to ban the game and no stay or interim relief was granted by the other HCs. It said suicides by online rummy players were reported, compelling the state to ban such games.