Is Rummy Legal in India?
Rummy is an old name in Indian families and has been cherished by many abroad too. This game of cards is always stuck on the see-saw of gambling or betting. While many feel rummy is a skillful game for enjoyment, others say it is addictive and could lead to harmful consequences. Irrespective of the differing views, the Supreme Court of India considers rummy a game of skills, not chance. With the surge of Internet users, the world has seen a spike in online games including rummy.
During the financially and physically draining COVID-19 phase, people devised paths of earning online to keep themselves and those around them entertained. Considering the local, social, cultural, and financial differences in people, playing rummy online is legal in India except in a few states of Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh. The government ordinances of these states prohibited the card game, comparing it to gambling.
Yes, Rummy is Legal in India - Know Why
The Indian Constitution has mentioned gambling under the State subject. This is the reason why many card games, betting, and gambling are banned in various states of the country. Many states follow the Public Gambling Act (1867) in which skill games like rummy are excluded. As the online gaming regulations are not modified in India, in most cases online gaming is not banned.
Noting these legal points RummyMeet does not allow users from states where the game is banned. At Rummy-Meets, we want to act “Responsibly” and take steps to ensure that all players enjoy safe and secure gaming.
In the long term, playing online rummy games has become more and more popular. Its popularity can be attributed largely to the success stories of regular rummy players.
The Indian Supreme Court gave a choice in 1996 declaring that any expertise-based game — whether presented free of charge or at an expense — is legitimate and doesn’t qualify as gambling or betting.
The various High Court decisions and the Gaming Acts of India infer the following:
• Gaming or gambling means wagering and wagering on games of chance.
• Playing games of ability for cash doesn’t comprise gambling.
• Games of ability are absolved from the penal provisions of most gambling acts.
So indeed, it is completely legal to play rummy online for cash on Rummy Meets as long as you are not playing from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, and Telangana. As we get more clarity on the laws in these states, we shall seriously mull over offering our administrations to occupants of these states as well.
What is Gambling?
Movies across the globe have made gambling look glamorous and profiteering, showing wealthy people stepping out of their cars with a cigar and heading towards a casino. The word gambling traces its roots to gaming, which (until the 1900s) referred to playing games for amusement and pleasure. The practice of gambling, however, does not have a good impression on society as it is a game of mere luck.
Many families, even today, are in shambles because of sheer bad luck in gambling. This game includes betting and wagering and depends on the destiny of a bettor. Wagering through horse runs has been a common phenomenon since ancient times. It still is in some countries. Another gambling scenario is animal fighting, which most famously includes bulls.
The modern world gambles through the mere rolling of dice, cards, and roulette. It may require some beforehand mischief by successful gamblers who make money by being Judas. This practice by game fixers or rich wagerers leaves new gamblers with no money, a loop of debt, and an unending financial crisis. All around the world, governments have banned gambling because of the financial and economic risks involved in it. However, some countries do promote gambling only in some specific regions.
How is Rummy different from Gambling?
A game that requires some skill set or knowledge to win is not gambling because it has no luck factor. These were the same notions put forth by the Supreme Court of India. Rummy is legal because the game requires skills and strategies. As you would have noticed, a player who discards and picks up cards in a game uses some level of decision-making powers and strategies. No one can win a rummy game without practicing it several times and mastering the tricks. It is similar to any business or occupation. Hence rummy games cannot be considered gambling and are called the game of skills instead of a game of chance.
What exactly constitutes a skill game under Indian law?
In 1996, the Supreme Court of India characterized a skill-based game as follows:
Competitions in which victory is dependent on a significant degree of talent are not “gambling,” and while there may be an element of chance if a game is predominately a game of skill, it is still a game of “mere skill.”
We thus believe that the phrase “mere skill” refers to a significant degree or majority of expertise.
Legal Status of Rummy in Different States
The landscape of online rummy in India is an interconnected network of legal statuses overseen by national and state laws. While the Supreme Court has clarified that rummy is a skill-based game, individual states have the authority to regulate and govern gambling. This has resulted in varying interpretations and execution of game-related regulations across India. Where Rummy Is Not Legal: The rise in popularity of online rummy has met opposition in several jurisdictions.
These jurisdictions have prohibited the game when played for stakes or imposed major limitations on its online form, owing to concerns about gambling activities and their possible socioeconomic consequences. Some of the states where online rummy is available for real money are outlawed or limited in the following states.
- Andhra Pradesh
- Assam
- Tamil Nadu
- Telangana
- Odisha
- Meghalaya
- Nagaland
- Sikkim
Is Rummy legal in all States of India?
No, not every Indian state allows players to earn real money by playing rummy. Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, and Telangana prohibit playing cash rummy games.
FAQs on Is Rummy Legal In India?
Is Playing Online Rummy Games Legal in India?
Yes, barring a few states, it is legal to play rummy online in India.
Is Rummy Legal in Andhra Pradesh?
No, real-money online rummy games are not allowed by the Andhra Pradesh state government.
Is Rummy Legal in Telangana?
Telangana’s state law prohibits the playing of real money rummy games online, hence this means that real money games cannot be played there.
Is Rummy Legal in Tamil Nadu?
The Tamil Nadu government now forbids playing cash rummy online. Thus, players in Tamil Nadu are now unable to play online rummy for real money.
Do games of skill enjoy any other protection legally?
Yes, the Supreme Court declared in 1957 that prize competitions involving significant talent are economic activities protected by Article 19(1)(g) of the Indian Constitution.