SC directs Centre to file reply on Online Gaming Act; subsequent listening to on Nov 26

The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard a batch of petitions difficult the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 (PROGA), which has triggered a near-complete shutdown of India’s real-money gaming trade. A bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Ok.V. Vishwanathan directed the Union authorities to file its reply and glued November 26 as the subsequent date of listening to.

During the listening to, Senior Advocate C. Aryama Sundaram, showing for Head Digital Works, dad or mum of A23, informed the court docket that the net gaming sector had been “shut for over a month” regardless of the legislation had not but been notified. “Our businesses are shut for more than one month now and the law has not been notified. We request the court to hear the matter and give relief,” Sundaram submitted.

The bench directed Additional Solicitor General N. Venkataraman to file the Centre’s response and instructed that copies be served to all events prematurely. Petitioners have been allowed to file rejoinders to the federal government’s submissions earlier than the subsequent listening to.

During the proceedings, Advocate Pranav Bansal, representing chess participant Manav Arya, sought the impleadment of states within the case, citing the existence of parallel state-level legal guidelines that contradict the provisions of PROGA.Bansal mentioned, “The petitioner is a chess player and participates in tournaments. His source of livelihood has been impacted.” The writ petition was tagged together with different petitions filed difficult PROGA, 2025.

The petitions, filed by main gaming corporations together with Head Digital Works (operator of A23), Clubboom 11 Sports and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., and Bagheera Carrom (OPC) Pvt. Ltd., problem the constitutional validity of the Act. They argue that PROGA’s blanket ban on all video games performed for stakes—whether or not skill-based or chance-based—has crippled authentic on-line gaming platforms, resulting in large enterprise and employment losses.

The Apex Court’s listening to follows a collection of authorized challenges transferred from a number of High Courts on the occasion of the Union authorities. Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed that each one linked issues pending earlier than the Delhi, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh High Courts be consolidated for uniform adjudication. Any new challenges filed in different courts are to be transferred on to the highest court docket.

Senior advocates, together with Sundaram, are anticipated to press for interim aid when the matter is taken up later this month.

The consequence of the upcoming listening to will likely be intently watched by India’s on-line gaming ecosystem, which has been navigating regulatory uncertainty since PROGA’s passage earlier this 12 months.

Industry our bodies such because the E-Gaming Federation (EGF) and the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) have warned that the legislation may drive authentic operators out of enterprise and push customers towards unlawful offshore platforms.

The court docket’s choice on interim aid and the Centre’s response are anticipated to form the long run course of India’s on-line gaming regulation.