Card games have always been very popular long before online gaming grabbed the attention of players globally. Rummy is one of the card games that were popular offline and now making a huge impact online.
However, there is a lot of debate about whether playing Rummy online is legal. To that end, this article takes you through the laws governing online gaming in India and whether it is legal to play Rummy online.
History of Online Gaming Regulations in India
The debate about card games and their legality goes back to 1957 when two landmark cases were used to differentiate between gambling and games involving substantial skill.
Here are the two historic Supreme Court judgments that are important to understand the legal status of Rummy:
- State of Bombay Vs. RMD Chamarbaugwala
- RMD Chamarbaugwala Vs. Union of India
The core point that both these cases highlighted was that Rummy was a game of substantial skill and came under the ambit of business activities. Rummy, hence, was covered under Article 19 (1) of the Indian Constitution, which guaranteed the protection of business activities. It could not be considered a ‘gambling activity’ and was, therefore, legal.
The fact was further reinforced more than a decade later in 1968 in the Supreme Court judgment in the case State of Andhra Pradesh vs K. Satyanarayana, where it was stated that Rummy could not be clubbed in the same category of a ‘game of chance’ like ‘three-card’ since you needed skill when sequencing or discarding table cards.
To summarize, the Supreme Court had two facts in favour of Rummy:
- Since a significant amount of skill was required for the card game Rummy, it could not be called gambling
- The element of luck in Rummy was much smaller compared to the skill involved in playing and winning the game
Is Rummy Legal in All States of India
Though the Supreme Court has declared that Rummy is a game of skill and therefore not gambling, some states have their own stand on the legality of Rummy since there is no Central Law on online rummy sites.
The Public Gaming Act of 1867 only provides punishment for gambling (online and offline); however, there is no ban on gambling.
Even though the Supreme Court has put Rummy in the ‘game of skill’ category, some states in India still ban online gaming. Some of the states are:
- Karnataka
- Andhra Pradesh
- Orissa
- Assam
- Meghalaya
- Sikkim
- Nagaland
- Telangana
The high courts of these states feel that online games (even Rummy) mean a waste of a person’s hard-earned money and could lead to a financial crisis.
Online rummy sites are banned in Kerala vide Section 14 of the Kerala Gaming Act, 1960. This was, however, challenged by Rummy game developers.
How is Rummy a Game of Skill?
While there could be an element of luck when it comes to the cards dealt to a player in Rummy, the strategies used to win the game are based on pure skill. Playing rummy is a great hobby that can provide hours of entertainment and mental stimulation. Here are the skills involved in the game of Rummy:
- Patience
- Observation skills
- Analyzing your competitor’s moves
- Emotional Maturity
- Logical Reasoning
- Mathematical skills
- Excellent memory
The total number of players in a standard Rummy game range from 2 to 4, and each player gets 13 cards.
Where Should You Play Rummy?
There are lots of online rummy sites where you can play Rummy. Here, we will look at thehere are lots of online gaming platforms where you can play Rummy. Here, we will look at the Casino Planet.
There are a lot of online games that Casino Planet offers, like Mega Moolah, Blackjack, Cash Noire, and of course, card games like Rummy. Below are the pros and cons of this casino.
Pros
- Live Dealer Games
- User-friendly website
- Wide Range of Games
- Multiple Currency Options
Cons
- Extremely high withdrawal fees
- Payment methods are limited
Bonuses and Promotions at Casino Planet
Casino planet offers some fantastic welcome bonuses like free spins and cash. The cash bonus could be up to Rs. 30,000, and the Book of Dead slot machine offers 20 free spins.
The welcome bonus is explained here:
- You’ll get the first Rs. 10000 (100% matched) of your total Rs. 30000 cash bonus with your first deposit and 20 free spins
- On the next Rs. 10000, the bonus amount will be 50% of the deposit amount
- For the third and fourth deposits (of Rs. 5000 each), 25% of the deposit will be matched.
Based on the casino planet review, you could play Rummy here if you are interested. Apart from the gaming experience, the site offers data privacy and security, so you don’t need to worry about your personal data being misused.
Conclusion
There are gambling regulations in India, but the Supreme Court has excluded online rummy sites rom them since Rummy is a game of skills and not a game of chance. Even though the Supreme Court has ruled in favour of Rummy, declaring it a ‘non-gambling activity,’ certain states have banned online rummy sites.
Since it is perfectly legal to play Rummy in India, find a site that has been reviewed by platforms like gambling.in. You can try Casino Planet since it has a positive review with attractive bonuses and high security.
So, what are you waiting for? Register at the site of your choice and start playing Rummy!
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