Centre Moves Supreme Court Seeking Transfer Of Pleas In High Court Challenging Online Gaming Act 2025

The Union of India has filed a plea before the Supreme Court seeking that various writ petitions in 3 High Courts that challenge the Online Gaming Act 2025 be transferred to the Apex Court. 

The counsel for the Union mentioned before the bench of CJI BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, urging that the present transfer petition be listed on coming Monday. 

He said : "The new act has been challenged. I am seeking a listing on Monday, because the interim order is listed in the Karnataka High Court." 

The bench agreed to an early listing. 

Notably, the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025 has been under challenge before the Delhi High Court, the Madhya Pradesh High Court and the Karnataka High Court (where an interim stay on the impugned act is also sought). 

The main ground of challenge in all the petitions before the various High Courts is that the Act prohibits even those games which involve a game of skill and not mere chance, especially e-sports. It is contended that the act puts a blanket prohibition on judicially recognised skill-based games, thus violating Article 19(1)(g).  

The impugned Act was passed by the Parliament on August 21 and received the Presidential Assent on August 22.