Surinder Sharma
New Delhi, May 23 — The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a comprehensive ban on “illegal” betting applications and stricter regulation of online gaming and fantasy sports platforms. The petition also urges the enactment of a central law to govern the online gaming industry.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N.K. Singh issued a notice to the central government, requesting its response to the plea. However, the court refrained from issuing notices to individual state governments at this preliminary stage.
The petitioner, who described himself as a “prominent social activist, humanitarian, and President of the Global Peace Initiative,” filed the PIL citing the growing public harm caused by unregulated online betting platforms. He argued that the proliferation of such apps poses a significant threat to the country’s democratic and social fabric.
The plea highlights a First Information Report (FIR) filed earlier this year in Telangana, which named 25 celebrities—including actors, cricketers, and social media influencers—accused of promoting betting apps and allegedly misleading the public. The petition also referenced media reports of 24 suicides in Telangana, reportedly linked to debt accrued from online betting.
Filed directly with the apex court, the petition seeks judicial intervention to protect youth and vulnerable citizens from the risks associated with online gambling, which it claims is often disguised as fantasy sports and skill-based games.
The petitioner contends that betting, whether online or offline, constitutes a game of chance rather than skill, and therefore falls under the purview of gambling—prohibited under several state laws via the Public Gambling Act, 1867. He noted the absence of a unified central framework to regulate the rapidly growing digital betting sector.
The Supreme Court’s response and any further action in the matter are expected to set a precedent for the future of online gaming and betting regulation in India.