Ban online gaming with stakes, recommends Justice Chandru Committee

Also ban advertisements that encourage people to play such games, says panel

The Justice K. Chandru Committee, which looked into the adverse effects of online gaming with stakes, has recommended that the Tamil Nadu government ban it as well as advertisements that encourage people to play such games, by promulgating an ordinance.

In its report, which was submitted to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday, the panel also recommended that the State government insist on the Union government enacting a national-level law against online gaming with stakes under Article 252 of the Constitution. It also recommended that the State government expedite its appeal in a related case pending before the Supreme Court.

The State Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister in the evening, was informed about the report submitted by the committee. “The report is to be scrutinised by multiple government departments before a decision on promulgating an ordinance is taken,” a source privy to the development told The Hindu.

The 71-page report contended that there was no skill involved in any of the online games, and they invariably made the players increasingly addicted and, eventually, indebted to the company. There was no question of regulating the games, as it was just impossible to do so, it said.

As a previous legislation banning online games with stakes was struck down by the Madras High Court, the panel recommended that the State government come up with a new legislation outside the earlier framework. The earlier law focused on gaming and betting law and whether skills were involved, and the panel has recommended the government to focus on the grounds of “public health and public order”.

The panel also pointed out that there were 17 suicides across Tamil Nadu during the past three years due to online gaming with stakes. Approximate figures of revenue generated by the companies were also provided in the report, which was quite substantial.

The report also observed that the interest of the company was primarily in making more money and not in developing the player’s skill, and contended that the State could impose restrictions on online gaming, including prohibition.