• Source:JND
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The Supreme Court on Monday accepted the Centre’s petition to transfer all challenges to the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 from the high courts to itself. The Act, which imposes a ban on real-money games (RMG), is currently facing three legal challenges through petitions filed in the high courts of Karnataka, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh.

A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Vishwanathan has directed these high courts to transfer all case records within a week. Once received, the matter will be listed for hearing before the Supreme Court. The bench further stated that any fresh petitions on the issue would also be transferred to the apex court.

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"We will be very happy if we get a finality if the Court hears it. I had pressed for an interim order and therefore my lords, please transfer," said Senior Advocate C Aryama Sundaram on behalf of the petitioners, Bar and Bench reported.

The petitioners in the case include Head Digital Works, operator of the online rummy platform A23 Rummy; Bagheera Carrom, which runs an online carrom platform; and Clubboom11 Sports & Entertainment, operator of the fantasy sports platform Boom11. Clubboom11 is a member of the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS), an industry body with Dream11 as its founding member. Bagheera Carrom, on the other hand, is part of the E-Gaming Federation (EGF), which represents major online rummy and poker operators such as Games24x7, Junglee Games, and Head Digital Works.

Online Gaming Case Update 

1. On September 4, the Centre moved the Supreme Court seeking transfer of petitions related to the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025.

2. The government argued that the transfer was necessary to avoid conflicting or multiple rulings from different high courts.

3. The Act prohibits online money games where users deposit funds, directly or indirectly, with the expectation of winnings.

4. After Parliament approved the law on August 22, real-money gaming (RMG) companies suspended contests involving stakes, while continuing free-to-play options.

5. Several companies, including Dream11 parent Dream Sports, Gameskraft, MPL, Zupee, and Pokerbaazi’s parent Moonshine Technology, have chosen not to challenge the law.

6. The industry downturn has forced firms like MPL, Pokerbaazi, and Games24x7 to make significant workforce reductions.

7. In July, the Supreme Court reserved judgment on cases related to, GST levied on gaming companies and state laws banning certain real-money games

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8. The apex court also has to decide on the validity of Rs 2.5 lakh crore GST notices issued to RMG firms and casinos, along with challenges to laws passed by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka banning stake-based online games.