MADRAS, INDIA - A new ruling on the game rummy has made headlines in Madras after the high court decreed that it would become illegal to play the game for money. This has come as a huge shock as rummy is viewed as a highly respectable game in India and it is played by almost all Indians.
There are well established and respected clubs that host high stakes games of rummy and also small games that are played in peoples homes and even on the streets. It is a game that represents much of the character of the Indian nation and is one of the few things along with cricket that permeates the strong class and caste structure that exists in Indian society.
Hence this ruling has received a very poor reception. The court ruled that the game of rummy should be outlawed as of the 1888 Madras Police Act. This goes against the 1967 ruling in Andrha Pradesh which found that skill games would be acceptable to bet on and at the same time ruled that rummy would be viewed as a game of skill.
The court justified their ruling by quoting from religious text and also claiming moral and ethical ground. They argued that it would prevent people from losing large sums of money. This has angered people as other countries where gambling is legal have regulatory bodies that prevent these things from happening. People seem to wonder why such measures cannot be implemented in India as well.
The constant tarnishing of gambling has meant that the underworld has got an increasingly strong hold over gambling and leaves people far more vulnerable to bankruptcy than if it were legal. It is thought that the ruling was passed in an attempt to reduce the amount of poker being played amongst Indian youths.
Poker is becoming increasingly popular in India and it can be argued that this is also a game of skill. The law makers therefore are considering banning rummy in an attempt to ban poker as well. Using the antiquated 1888 laws will not work though according to many sources as there is no mention of online gambling in any of the early Indian gaming laws. This means that courts cannot rule on the playing of games such as rummy and poker online leaving the legislation in a grey area.
The online gambling market is clearly booming in India and it would be wise of the Indian authorities to take this opportunity to legalise gambling with the new legislation and regulatory bodies to allow for effective tax collection and also to protect those who are vulnerable.
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