Court upholds state government's regulations on real money games

'Right to conduct trade under Article 19 cannot be used to deter right to life under Article 21'

- R SIVAKUMAR @ Chennai

IN a shot in the arm to the Tamil Nadu government in its efforts to regulate online real money games (RMGs) in order to protect the state's youth from falling prey eyeing big stakes, the Madras High Court has refused to declare ultra vires TN's recent regulations on the RMGs, including a night ban and compulsory Aadhaar-based registration of Know Your Client (KYC).

The court held that such games are subject to regulation when it affects the public health resulting in serious social repercussions.

A division bench of justices S M Subramaniam and K Rajasekar passed the orders on Tuesday while dismissing the petitions filed by the online gaming platforms which prayed for declaring Section 5 r/w 14 of the TN Prohibition of Online Gaming and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022, along with TN Online Gaming Authority (Real Money Games) Regulations, 2025, ultra vires.