The Supreme Court of India has agreed to conduct a ultimate listening to on petitions difficult the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2026, a regulation that launched nationwide restrictions on on-line actual cash gaming.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi accepted the matter for ultimate listening to on Wednesday and requested the concerned events, together with Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, to finish their pleadings earlier than the subsequent stage of proceedings.
The courtroom additionally agreed to think about a public curiosity litigation (PIL) filed by the Centre for Accountability and Systemic Change (CASC), which seeks authorities motion in opposition to on-line playing and betting platforms that allegedly function below the looks of social gaming and e-sports companies.
The authorized problem comes after the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act got here into power on May 1, 2026. The laws launched a whole ban on Online Real Money Games (ORMG), masking video games involving each talent and likelihood.
One of the central questions raised within the petitions is whether or not a broad prohibition on real-money gaming, together with conventional skill-based video games resembling rummy and poker, impacts the constitutional proper to conduct a commerce or enterprise.
Petitions Seek Action Against Betting Platforms
The CASC petition has requested instructions to a number of central authorities ministries, together with Electronics and Information Technology, Information and Broadcasting, Finance, and Youth Affairs and Sports.
The organisation is asking for a coordinated interpretation of the web gaming regulation and present state laws to forestall playing and betting companies that allegedly current themselves as social video games or e-sports platforms.
During the listening to, lawyer Virag Gupta, representing CASC, knowledgeable the courtroom {that a} earlier bench led by Justice J B Pardiwala had requested a response from the central authorities on October 17, 2025.
Gupta stated an inventory containing round 2,000 gaming purposes allegedly concerned in betting and playing actions regardless of authorized restrictions had already been submitted to the courtroom and the federal government. He added that no response had been filed regardless of earlier courtroom instructions.
CASC, represented by former Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Vikram Singh and Shourya Tiwari, has argued that betting and playing purposes are inflicting social and financial harm throughout India and require stronger intervention.
The petition filed by CASC additionally asks authorities to forestall platforms from persevering with operations by utilizing different classifications resembling social gaming or aggressive gaming.
Supreme Court Reviews Wider Betting Regulation Requests
Another petition earlier than the courtroom was filed by evangelist and politician Dr. Kilari Anand Paul, who has sought a uniform central framework regulating or prohibiting on-line and offline betting actions.
The Supreme Court had beforehand requested responses from a number of events, together with the central authorities, Google India, TRAI, Apple India, Dream11, Mobile Premier League and A23 Games.
Paul’s petition argues that unregulated betting companies have created monetary and social issues, notably amongst youthful customers. The petitioner has additionally referred to as for restrictions on movie star and influencer promotions of betting purposes, claiming such promoting encourages participation amongst weak teams.
“I am here on behalf of millions of parents whose children have died in the past couple of years. More than 1,023 people committed suicide in Telangana. The aggressive advertising by actors, cricketers, and influencers misleads youth into gambling, making them financially vulnerable and addicted,” Paul stated whereas in search of courtroom intervention, as reported by the Kashmir Observer.
The petition additional claimed that hundreds of households throughout India have skilled monetary losses linked to unregulated betting platforms.
It additionally alleged that some offshore betting companies function as channels for cash laundering and undisclosed monetary exercise, stating: “Investigations reveal that unregulated betting platforms serve as fronts for money laundering and black money transactions, violating the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.”
