HC to hear A23's petition against online gaming law

Bengaluru: The Karnataka high court will hear a petition on Saturday challenging the constitutional validity of the newly enacted Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025.

The Centre stated that the law, which received the President's assent last week, seeks to curb addiction, financial losses and social harm caused by predatory gaming platforms luring users with false promises of quick wealth. Head Digital Works, which operates the gaming platform A23, filed the petition opposing several provisions of the Act, passed by Parliament during the monsoon session. The plea stated the new law attempts to blur the distinction between games of skill and chance in defining 'online money game'.The company claimed that this disregard for established jurisprudence exceeds Parliament's legislative competence and constitutes arbitrary action. Additionally, the petition deemed the definition to be overbroad, encompassing all online games involving monetary stakes. While prohibiting the offering of online money games and related services, the Act also bans advertising related to such games, infringing on the right to free speech and the right to promote legitimate business, the petition stated.

Senior counsel Aryama Sundaram and Dhyan Chinnappa mentioned the filing before Justice BM Shyam Prasad on Thursday, who indicated that the matter would be taken up on Saturday. The petition also argued that the Act represents a sudden policy reversal for the gaming sector, particularly as the Union govt recently recognised online gaming as part of the digital economy. A23 is one of India's largest real-money gaming platforms.