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Online gaming industry seems to be having a tough time in India at the moment. After the state government of Andhra Pradesh banned announced a ban on all forms of real money online games like fantasy sports, rummy, and poker, Tamil Nadu-based politician and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder, Dr. S. Ramadoss, has recently requested the central government to ban online gaming since he believes that it wrecks lives of individuals and their families.
In a statement made to reporters, Dr. Ramadoss alluded to the death of a Puducherry youth, Vijaykumar, who had committed suicide after losing his property and wealth due to his online gambling habit.
“He immolated himself, leaving his two children and wife behind. In an audio message to his wife, he said he had lost nearly ₹30 lakh on online gambling (rummy), and that was the reason why he took the extreme step,” stated Dr. Ramadoss.
Back in July, after the Madras High Court has asked the Tamil Nadu government to look into regulating online gaming, Dr. Ramadoss had expressed disappointment over the Union and state government’s inaction in banning online gambling despite the high court’s direction.
He had also applauded the Telangana government for banning online gambling and had said, “The TN government should take efforts to ban gambling. The Central government should also explore the possibility of enacting a law against online gambling.”
After his statements were largely ignored by both the centre and state governments, he has now once again taken to requesting the Union government to put a stop to real-money online gaming.
Dr. Ramadoss pointed out that gambling in public places and clubs with money is a crime, whereas it is legal online. “The Centre and the State governments should ban online gambling to prevent it from destroying more families,” he said.
It remains to be seen if the central government, this time, will take up his pleas to ban online gaming.