Supreme Court Transfers To Itself Petitions In High Courts Difficult Online Gaming Act 2025

The Supreme Court right this moment (September 8) allowed switch petitions by the Union Government, in search of the consolidation and switch of three writ petitions pending earlier than Delhi High Court, Karnataka High Court and Madhya Pradesh High Court filed by on-line skill-gaming firms, difficult the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 (“Online Gaming Act”), which seeks to ban ‘on-line cash video games’ and providing of financial institution companies, ads, and many others. associated thereto.

It additionally clarified that any such petition pending earlier than any of the High Courts additionally stands transferred.

A bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice KV Viswanathan ordered: “This is at the instance of the Union of India with the following prayers. We transfer as prayed for is allowed. The proceedings from Karnataka, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh High Courts stand transferred to this Court. Respective High Courts are directed to transfer entire records with all interlocutory applications filed within 1 week. Let this transfer be done digitally to save time.”

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the Union, whereas Senior Advocates C. Aryaman Sundaram and Arvind P Datar appeared for 2 petitioners within the High Courts.

The Online Gaming Act 2025 has been below problem earlier than the Delhi High Court, the Madhya Pradesh High Court and the Karnataka High Court (the place an interim keep on the impugned act can also be sought). In one other petition right this moment, the Karnataka High Court issued discover.

The principal floor of problem in all of the petitions earlier than the varied High Courts is that the Act prohibits even these video games which contain a recreation of ability and never mere probability, particularly e-sports. It is contended that the act places a blanket prohibition on judicially recognised skill-based video games, thus violating Article 19(1)(g).

The impugned Act was handed by the Parliament on August 21 and acquired the Presidential Assent on August 22.

Case Details: UNION OF INDIA v HEAD DIGITAL WORKS PRIVATE LIMITED AND ANR|T.P.(C) No. 2484-2486/2025