What Is The Legal Status Of Playing Online Rummy In India?
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A number of card games like Ghulam Chor, BlackJack, Rummy and Poker have always been an intrinsic part of Indian culture and are still played with great gusto during family get-togethers and festivals. In fact, festivals like Diwali and Janmashtami call for special game nights among friends and family.
Rummy has snuck a sweet spot in the hearts of gamers as its online avatar has propelled the game to unparalleled fame. Online platforms like Classic Rummy, Junglee Rummy, Adda52, A23 and RummyCircle offer huge rewards and prize money to make the digital version of rummy more lucrative.
Do you love playing rummy online but are worried whether or not it is legal in India? As the popularity of the card game has grown tremendously over the years, its legality poses much confusion across different states of the country.
With more youngsters getting swayed towards numerous variations of rummy, here are all the reasons why playing rummy is completely safe and legal in India.
The Legal Status Of Online Rummy
Back in 1957, the Supreme Court held that competitions that involved substantial skill were not gambling activities in two landmark Supreme Court cases — State of Bombay v RMD Chamarbaugwala (AIR 1957 SC 699), and RMD Chamarbaugwala v Union of India (AIR 1957 SC 628).
According to the ruling, competitions that involved substantial skill were classified under business activities, the protection of which was guaranteed under article 19(1)(g) of the constitution.
Ten years later, in 1968, the case State of Andhra Pradesh v K Satyanarayna (AIR 1968 SC 825), brought rummy into prominence and the Supreme Court ruled that
Rummy is not a game entirely of chance like the ‘three-card’ as it involves considerable skill in sequencing and discarding of cards. According to the jury, rummy was “mainly and predominantly a game of skill”. Several years later, in 1996, the Supreme Court also ruled that gambling was payment for a chance to win a prize during the Dr KR Lakshmanan v State of Tamil Nadu and Anr (1996 2 SCC 226) over horse riding.
The Supreme Court of India also stated that (i) a competition where chances of success depend on a significant degree of skill is not gambling, and (ii) despite the fact that there is an element of chance, rummy is preponderantly a game of skill and thus may be considered a game of ‘mere skill.’
What Do The State Laws Say?
It’s important to note that the legality of rummy and other online gaming activities is a subject matter of individual states as there are no central laws against gaming in India. The Public Gaming Act of 1867 does not ban gambling but merely provides punishment for it. However, this does not apply to a “game of skill”.
Even in the face of the Supreme Court judgement of 1968, there are still a few states that ban online gaming. Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Nagaland, and Telangana are among them. These courts believe that gamers squander money while playing online rummy and it can lead to several harmful consequences.
In February 2021, the Kerala Government banned online rummy under section 14A of the Kerala Gaming Act 1960. This decision was challenged by several online rummy app developers. Citing the Supreme Court decision of 1968, rummy app providers argued that rummy was “a game of skill” and not “a game of chance”.
What Is ‘A Game Of Skill’?
A “game of skill” is defined as any game, whose outcome or result is dependent purely on the skills (either mental or physical) of the players. There may be an element of luck involved but the driving force behind the outcome is the skillset of the players.
As an example, while playing online rummy, the cards you are dealt are dependent on your luck, but how you steer the game from then on is entirely up to your capability as a rummy player.
As opposed to this, in a “game of chance”, the winner is strongly subject to the outcome of an action such as rolling of a dice, drawing of cards, or roulette wheels.
What Skills Are Required To Play Rummy?
In the game of rummy, each player is dealt thirteen cards from a 52-cards deck. The number of players can be two or four and each player must draw and discard cards by turn until one player melds their cards with valid sets.
A number of skills are needed to grasp the right way to win the game. Playing online rummy requires patience, the ability to observe and comprehend the opponent’s moves, logical reasoning, emotional maturity, analytical skills, mathematical skills and superb memory power.
Measures To Make Online Rummy Safe & Secure
Online rummy is open for players in the 18+ age-group and roughly upto one to two lakh gamers are glued to the game on most online rummy platforms. Big rewards, daily cash prizes, and unlimited promotions make the game very lucrative. What’s more, you can play free games to hone your rummy skills during the initial stages.
Despite the Supreme Court ruling, a number of people are concerned about the fairness of the online version of the game. Furthermore, they are afraid of losing money to fraud and errors during online transactions.
It is to be noted that certified rummy platforms — with the help of online payment modes and highly advanced and integrated features — offer a safe and secure environment for transactions involving the game. Your winning amounts are automatically credited to your account in a timely and safe manner using popular payment gateways like Paytm, PayU, NetBanking, UPI, etc.
Moreover, apps like Classic Rummy, Junglee Rummy and RummyCircle are encrypted with an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate that not only authenticates the identity of the website but also provides an encrypted connection.
If you have any confusion or doubt about the safety of the game, put your mind to rest! Download your favourite online rummy app and start playing now.
