Centre tells Delhi HC state is responsible to regulate online gambling game websites

The Centre on Wednesday notified the Delhi High Court that matters associating with online 'gambling' games are explicitly under the domain of the states and that the Ministry of Electronics Information and Technology is not accountable for regulating such 'games'. The ministry also informed the Court that some states have already passed legislation to control such online games.

Centre urge HC to pull states in case

The Centre affidavit filed before a bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Sing stated that the petitioner has failed to prosecute states as parties to the case that are the appropriate government in the regulation of 'betting or gambling. The Centre also said that proper adjudication is not possible unless states are made parties, in the case.

Delhi HC urges Centre to take steps to ban online gambling games

The Delhi High Court had earlier issued a notice to the Centre on a public trial seeking direction to take steps to ban and prevent online gambling websites from running in the country. The bench later deferred the matter for October 11, after acknowledging that the petitioner was yet to be served with the reply copy.

Plea to ban and control online gambling websites

Notably, the PIL, filed by Avinash Mehrotra served by advocates, Awantika Manohar, Siddharth Iyer and Prashant Kumar had solicited directions from the ministry to take steps to recover taxes due from both persons who played such online games, and more importantly, those who run and operate those websites. The pleas had also sought a relevant writ, order or direction, urging the respondents to prosecute the corrupt owners or proprietors, and the promoters of the online gambling websites, in accordance with the law. "It is submitted that all these activities, though expressly prohibited by law, are being carried out because of a lack of enforcement of the laws in question. Thus, despite being per se illegal these gambling websites are being permitted to operate and drive normal people towards economic and financial as well as social ruination," the plea stated.

(With Inputs from ANI)

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