Madras HC Upholds Tamil Nadu Gaming Rules, KYC

The Madras High Court has upheld the Tamil Nadu government's recent regulations on the real-money gaming (RMG) sector, including mandatory Aadhaar verification and a ban on online gaming between midnight and 6 am.

- TBG NETWORK

The ruling is a major setback for several online gaming companies that had challenged the rules, Bar and Bench reported.

A Bench of Justices SM Subramaniam and J Rajashekar dismissed all the petitions filed by companies such as Games24x7, Junglee Games, Head Digital Works, Winzo, and the Esports Players Welfare Association (EPWA).

The companies had argued that the rules were unfair and infringed on users' privacy.

The court said the state has the power to regulate online games like Rummy and Poker, especially when played for real money, citing concerns over public health and suicides linked to excessive gaming.