Karnataka govt mulls enacting law to completely control online gambling; decision soon

Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday announced the Karnataka's government's decision to bring in a law to control online gambling and games linked to it, citing that 'many parents and families have suffered from it'. 

The Yediyurappa-led government's move comes after its neighbour Tamil Nadu announced a ban on online gambling and games after a series of suicides in the state owing to losses faced from the games. 

Karnataka Home Minister Bommai revealed that the government would soon enact a law to completely control online gambling & games and claimed that many youths had been misguided and were facing a lot of difficulties owing to such games. 

Further, he said that a meeting of senior officials had already taken place to discuss the matter and that laws implemented in various states with regards to online gambling & gaming would be studied before making a decision to ban or regulate online gambling & games linked to it.

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Karnataka govt mulls law to control online gambling & games

"A meeting of senior officials has taken place in this regard Because of online games, many youth have got into difficulties as they lose their track or get misguided. We have got complaints from many parents and families have suffered because of it," Basavaraj Bommai said, speaking to reporters.

"By studying laws implemented by various states in this regard, our government has decided to bring in a law against online games at the earliest to completely control it," he said.

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TN CM announces ban on online gambling

Earlier, Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami announced that the state would ban online gambling websites and will soon introduce legislation to crack the whip on them after a series of suicides - reportedly due to losses faced from the online gambling games - have rocked the state.

The CM's announcement came days after a Madurai-based resident filed a PIL at the Madras High Court seeking a ban on online gambling websites following which the Madurai bench of the HC issued notices to cricketers Virat Kohli, Sourav Ganguly and other actors for endorsing the games despite knowing that people will follow them. 

Speaking to reporters at the Chennai airport, TN CM Edappadi Palaniswami announced that the state would ban online gambling websites and would pass legislation to arrest those who play and run such online games. Citing the move to ban these online gambling games as a result of the demands of various groups, EPS told reporters that the Madras HC had also been informed of the same by the state government. 

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