Online gambling resumes in TN as ordinance lapses

Chennai: Leaders across the political spectrum accused Governor R N Ravi of causing a sudden spurt in online gambling after Sunday midnight when the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Ordinance lapsed after he did not give his consent for the legislation relating to it.

Among those who criticized the Governor for not giving his approval for the Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill passed in the State assembly recently were PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss, Naam Tamilar Katchi chief coordinator Seeman, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi president M H Jawaharuillah and Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy.

The Minister said that it was the duty of the Governor to give his approval for a Bill passed in the Assembly but he did not do it though the explanations that he had asked for were furnished. State Law Minister S Regupathy had earlier said that the government had provided the answers for the queries of the Governor in record time.

State Health Minister M Subramanian said that Chief Minister M K Stalin would decide on the next course of action to be taken to stop online gambling, triggering speculations of the government bringing in yet another ordinance.

Sources said that legal opinion was being sought from experts on the possibility of promulgating a fresh ordinance even as online companies revived their activities openly, offering the facilities for different types of gambling, after a lull since the ordinance came into force.

Gamblers reportedly stayed awake past midnight playing those online games of chance placing wagers as hundreds of companies opened their facilities on the internet, raising concerns over the online gambling addiction catching up with the population again, causing financial losses to gamblers and even leading to suicides as it had happened in the past.

Though the government had passed the Bill recently, the Governor did not announce its date of implementation allowing the ordinance to expire in view of the Constitutional provision in Article 213 (2) (a) that an Ordinance would cease to operate at the expiration of six weeks from the reassembly of the Legislature. The State Assembly met on October 17.

An earlier legislation passed by the previous AIADMK government banning online gambling was struck down by the Madras High Court in August, 2021, saying that it was ‘excessive and disproportionate,’ impelling the present DMK government to bring in the ordinance and also pass the legislation in the Assembly.

Anbumani Ramadoss said 33 persons had committed suicide due to distress caused by heavy losses incurred through online gambling since the Madras High Court struck down the earlier ban on online gambling brought in by the previous AIADMK government.

He said the latest victim was a woman worker from Odisha based in Tenkasi district’s Karivalamvandanallur. She had reportedly lost Rs 70,000 and hanged herself.