Junglee Games which operates the online rummy website Junglee Rummy, fantasy sports portal Howzat, as well as, Teen Patti and other social games is the latest gaming company to approach the Karnataka High Court against the recent law that banned all kinds of gaming for stakes in the state.
The petition was filed on Monday through Advocate Arjun PK who also represents Play Games24x7 and Head Digital Works which have filed similar petitions along with the All India Gaming Federation. With Junglee joining, 6 petitions are currently pending including one by gaming unicorn Mobile Premier League.
Gaming companies have received positive orders in recent months against bans imposed by Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Junglee was one of the petitioners that challenged the Tamil Nadu law banning gaming for stakes in the South Indian state.
Buoyed by the orders of Madras High Court and Kerala HC, real money gaming companies are expecting the laws upon judicial scrutiny will bring clarity on the status of real money gaming in the country. Similar petitions challenging the ban laws of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are currently pending before the respective High Courts.
Another PIL has been filed with the Karnataka High Court praying for directions to the Karnataka government to amend the Karnataka Police Act, 1963 (KPA) to prohibit the offering and playing of FIFS-compliant fantasy sports in the state. The petitioner added the Karnataka government and FIFS as the respondents.
The petitioner further prayed for notifying the offering and playing of FIFS compliant fantasy sports as a criminal offense under KPA. At the time of writing this, the petition was allotted an FR number and is pending final registration.