SC asks Centre to file ‘comprehensive reply’ to petition seeking ban on online gambling, betting platforms

The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Centre on a petition seeking a nationwide ban on online gambling and betting platforms allegedly operating under the guise of social and e-sports games.

Asking the Centre to file a “comprehensive reply” to the petition of Centre for Accountability Systemic Change (CASC) and another, a bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice KV Viswanathan posted the matter for hearing on November 26.

Alleging that there was a large number of betting and gambling apps operating online, the petitioners’ counsel Virag Gupta urged the top court to direct the Government to take immediate measures in larger public interest as the issue adversely affected the youth in particular.

“We want the Additional Solicitor General appearing for the Union (of India) to file a comprehensive reply to the main petition itself,” the bench said after it was informed that the Centre has already filed its reply to the interim prayer of the petitioners.

The petitioners wanted the top court to direct the Centre to take action and issue blocking orders under section 69A of the Information Technology Act against all unlawful betting and gambling platforms in India.

They also wanted a direction to RBI, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and other UPI platforms to not allow any transactions of online money games, which are not registered in India. The petitioners demanded that the Government agencies should invoke stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999 to curb the menace of online gambling and betting.

The PIL has also sought directions to Google and Apple to strictly comply with the Information Technology (Intermediary) Rules, 2021 and allow only duly licensed gaming apps on their platforms, recover GST and income tax from offshore gaming companies through ED and CBI with the assistance of Interpol, and protect children’s data collected by online gaming companies. The Centre’s counsel VC Bharathi pointed out that the reliefs sought by the petitioners were squarely covered by the new legislation relating to online gaming which has yet to come into force.

Passed by the Parliament in the Monsoon session on August 21, the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025 received the Presidential Assent on August 22. It is the first central law imposing a nationwide ban on real-money online gaming, including popular formats such as fantasy sports. It prohibits offering or playing online money games, regardless of whether they are games of skill or chance, bars banking services and advertising related to them and categorises violations as cognisable and non-bailable offences.

Earlier, the law was challenged before Delhi, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh high courts on the ground that it imposed a blanket ban even on judicially recognised skill-based games, violating Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution, which guaranteed the right to practice any profession or carry on lawful trade.

The Supreme Court on September 8 transferred petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 pending before various high courts to itself for expeditious adjudication.

On Tuesday, the bench ordered that the new PIL be tagged with the petitions challenging the Act.