Online rummy federation urges Kerala govt to regulate online gaming

The Online Rummy Federation (TORF), a not-for-profit society to guide and support the online rummy industry, has urged the Kerala government to regulate online gaming and formulate guidelines for resolving the confusion regarding online games.

The industry body, in a statement, also asked the authorities to appoint a joint committee to study the issue in the wake of the Kerala High Court recently quashing a government order which banned online rummy in the state.

''We reiterate the recommendation to set up a joint committee to explore the possibility of setting up stringent regulations to regulate the gaming sector as a whole and the Skill gaming sector in particular,'' Sameer Barde, CEO, TORF said.

TORF would be keen to collaborate and support the state government in developing a comprehensive regulation that will address all the issues of the state, citizens, and the sector, he said.

''Online rummy continues to be enjoyed as a form of entertainment by several people across the country. Over the decades several Supreme Court judgments have held rummy to be a game of skill and protected under Article 19(1)(g) of the Indian Constitution,'' he said.

The High Court of Kerala quashing the notification by the State Government banning online rummy came as a vindication of our stand that rummy is not a game of chance, instead, it's a game skill, he claimed in the statement.