Today, On 27th March, A gaming company informed the Madras High Court that it is willing to restrict online real money games for 19 hours a day. However, it opposed the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority’s requirement to enforce the restriction only between midnight and 5 a.m. The company argued for flexibility in setting the restricted hours. The court will now consider the matter before making a decision.
one of the online gaming companies informed the Madras High Court that it is willing to allow individuals to engage in real money games (RMG) for 19 hours a day, citing health concerns.
However, the company opposed the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority’s (TNOGA) proposal to enforce “blank hours” solely between midnight and 5 a.m.
During the hearing before a Division Bench comprising Justices S.M. Subramaniam and K. Rajasekar, senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, representing Playgames 24X7 Private Limited, challenged the reasoning behind restricting the blank hours to that specific timeframe.
He argued that it did not account for the preferences of individuals who may choose to be active late at night.
The senior counsel raised significant concerns about the regulations imposed by the TNOGA, describing them as disproportionate and arbitrary.
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He questioned the rationale behind banning real money gaming (RMG) specifically between midnight and 5 a.m. on health grounds, pointing out that health could also be negatively impacted by playing other games or watching television during those hours.
Nonetheless, Mr. Rohatgi stated that if the TNOGA was focused on public health, his client was willing to limit individual players to a maximum of 19 hours of RMG daily, provided the five-hour blank period could be implemented flexibly throughout the day, rather than being restricted to midnight to 5 a.m.
He also suggested that the TNOGA could ease its requirement for Know Your Customer (KYC) verification for RMG by allowing verification through Aadhaar OTP, as well as other documents like driving licenses and passports.
Mr. Rohatgi emphasized that online gaming companies already prohibit minors from participating in RMG and have set monetary limits for gameplay.
After Mr. Rohatgi concluded his arguments, the Division Bench was informed that senior counsel Sajjan Poovayya would represent other online gaming companies.
Additionally, senior counsel C. Aryama Sundaram was expected to present arguments before Advocate General P.S. Raman, who, along with Arvind Srevatsa, would respond on behalf of the State and TNOGA.