The Indian government's online gaming rules are unconstitutional, against the public interest, and a 'drain on the public exchequer', alleged a Uttar Pradesh-based NGO in a challenge filed at the Delhi High Court last week, viewed by MediaNama. The "Social Organization for Creating Humanity" (SOCH) added that the rules fail to "effectively tackle the menace of online gambling, which has engulfed the nation's youth". On July 7, Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula listed the case for July 13th. Brought through an amendment to India's platform regulation rules (the IT Rules, 2021) in April, the rules have courted criticism for allegedly usurping states' powers to regulate online gaming and for nixing well-established methods for establishing the character and legality of games. SOCH's petition follows in the footsteps of these well-heeled critiques. "The Petitioner is particularly concerned with the increase in online addictions and addiction to online betting and other similar types of activities among the youth including spurt of online gaming that has engulfed various sections of the society, especially after the onset of the Covid19 pandemic and is causing various socio-economic problems," the petition noted. "The Petitioner desires that there should be orderly and proper regulation of online gaming in the country with a strong legislation to control the activity but the said legislation should conform to constitutional and legal norms and should be within the four corners of what is permitted by the Constitution." Speaking with MediaNama last month, gaming industry body the E-Gaming Federation dismissed these concerns, arguing that the rules do…
