In a huge reprieve for the online skill-gaming industry, a division bench of the Karnataka High Court quashed an amendment to the Karnataka Police Act, 1961 that banned all forms of gaming for stakes. The amendment law was notified on October 5, 2021. All major gaming platforms, including MPL, Games24x7 (RummyCircle, My11Circle), Ace2Three, and RummyCulture, had started blocking access to residents in Karnataka from October 6.

Also read: Karnataka HC strikes down gaming ban law as unconstitutional, ultra vires

Dream11 which initially argued that the law is not applicable had stopped allowing users from Karnataka after an FIR was filed against the founders. Dream11 co-founders moved the Karnataka High Court alleging in their petition that the case was registered on the basis of “bald and vague allegations” made by the complainant, at the behest of its business competitors with a “mala fide intention of brushing the colour of gambling, betting and wagering to the activities of fantasy sports” carried out on the Dream11 platform.

On October 28, the Karnataka High Court had directed the state government not to take any coercive action against the Dream11 duo over the state’s online gambling law. However, it had noted that this order does not stall the investigation. The case is currently pending until the next hearing date.

With this decision of the High Court, the gaming platforms are expected to start offering services to players in Karnataka anytime soon.

This is developing story. Will be updated soon.