Supreme Court Seeks Centre's Response On Plea Seeking Ban On Online Gambling Platforms Operating As Social And E-Sports Games

The Supreme Court issued notice to the Union of India and sought its response in a petition filed by an NGO seeking a nationwide ban on online gambling and betting platforms allegedly operating under the guise of social and e-sports games.

“According to the petitioner, there are about two thousand apps as on date operating online relating to betting and gambling. The petitioner want the government to take immediate action in this regard in larger public interest affecting the youth more particularly of the nation. Issue notice. Let an appropriate reply be filed to the petition”, the Court ordered.

A bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice KV Viswanathan directed that the plea be tagged with the batch of petitions challenging the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 (Online Gaming Act).

The NGO has filed the writ petition seeking directions to the Union Government to harmoniously interpret the provisions of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, and State laws to prohibit online gambling and betting games running as social and e-sports platforms.

The plea also seeks directions to the Union to issue blocking orders under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, against all unlawful betting and gambling platforms operating in India.

Further, the petitioner has prayed that the Reserve Bank of India, NPCI, and other UPI platforms be directed not to allow transactions related to online money games that are not registered in India.

The petition also seeks nationwide adoption of stringent provisions similar to the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gaming Act, 2022, and the application of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999, to combat online gambling and betting activities.

The plea further seeks directions to Google and Apple to strictly comply with the Information Technology (Intermediary) Rules, 2021, by allowing only duly licensed gaming apps on their platforms, recovery of GST and income tax from offshore gaming companies through enforcement agencies such as the ED and CBI with the assistance of Interpol, and protection of children's data collected by online gaming companies.

Advocate VC Bharathi for the Union of India submitted that the reliefs sought are already covered by the new legislation on online gaming, which is yet to come into force.

The Court then issued notice and tagged the matter with the batch of transferred petitions challenging the Online Gaming Act.

The Online Gaming Act, 2025, which was passed by Parliament on August 21 and received Presidential assent on August 22, has been challenged on the ground that it imposes a blanket prohibition on games involving skill rather than chance, including e-sports, thereby violating Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution.

Case no. – Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1008/2025

Case Title – Centre for Accountability Systemic Change (CASC) & Anr. v. Union of India & Ors.

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