Tamil Nadu & Chhattisgarh Governors Create Deadlock by Withholding Approval to Gaming Ban Laws

Over the past few years, some Indian states have been gunning to ban real money online gaming in their respective regions. Tamil Nadu has been the most vocal and proactive in passing gaming ban laws. Chhattisgarh recently joined the list by passing the Chhattisgarh Gambling (Prohibition) Bill 2022 in January.

However, the governors of both states, RN Ravi (Tamil Nadu) and Biswabhusan Harichandan (Chhattisgarh), have refused to consent to the respective gaming ban laws passed by the state governments. The governor’s approval is necessary for a bill to become law.

In Tamil Nadu, this is the second attempt to impose a blanket ban on online gaming for stakes. The Madras High Court invalidated the earlier law for being unconstitutional. The Tamil Nadu governor has raised concerns about the constitutional validity of the new law.

In contrast, Chhattisgarh’s situation is distinct. The state has been experiencing a rise in illegal offshore gambling websites operated by state natives who now reside in the Middle East to avoid Indian law enforcement. The state assembly unanimously approved the online gaming ban bill, but the new governor has yet to take action.

Both the bills are yet to see the light with the issue leading to a constitutional impasse.

It is still to be determined if the Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh governors are waiting for a national-level law on online gaming. The central government has recently suggested that such a law could be enacted if states can reach a consensus. However, bills getting stalled by governors in non-NDA-ruled states is a phenomenon that has been around for a while. For instance, the chief secretary of Telangana recently filed a plea with the Supreme Court to direct the governor to approve pending bills due to a constitutional impasse created by his refusal to act.

Online gaming is also a politically charged topic, with parties from ruling and non-ruling factions trying to use it for vote bank politics. Chhattisgarh is expected to have a tough election fight between BJP and the ruling Congress at the end of the year.

With the possibility of a national-level law being enacted, the fate of these state bills remains to be determined.

This is a developing story. Keep following PokerGuru for the latest updates!