Former Tamil Nadu CM and AIDMK interim chief E Palaniswami said the DMK government is delaying the rummy ban ordinance even after a favourable report by the committee headed by a retired judge. The former CM said due to delay tactics by the DMK government, online rummy companies are making crores by exploiting the youth of Tamil Nadu.

Also read: Skill games to be taxed on par with gambling, recommends GOM

He accused the DMK of earning commissions from gambling companies. The political veteran referred to an incident from Coimbatore, where a constable died today due to debts incurred from online rummy. The constable shot himself with a service weapon.

He demanded immediate enactment of a rummy ban law or warned of mass protests across the state. In a letter released to the public, he said his party would mobilise people in lakhs and protest on the streets.

Also read: SRM chairman Ravi Pachamuthu leads protest against online rummy in Chennai

EPS further said his government had enacted a good law but the DMK government failed to make strong arguments before the Madras High Court last year. The High Court in August 2021 quashed the online rummy ban law enacted by the previous AIDMK government as unconstitutional. The politician who was elected as interim chief this week, said suicides due to online rummy have increased since the ban was revoked in August 2021.

It may be recalled that amid a spate of suicides due to loss of money in the online rummy games, the Tamil Nadu government on June 10, constituted the panel to suggest measures to promulgate an ordinance to ban it. The committee submitted the report on January 27 which was discussed by the cabinet on the very same day.

The 71-page report contended that there was no skill involved in any of the online games, and they invariably made the players increasingly addicted and, eventually, indebted to the company.

Political parties across party lines are demanding a ban on online rummy. While news headlines limit it to only rummy, the ban similar to earlier law is expected to cover all games for stakes.