PMK leader and Rajya Sabha member Anbumani Ramadoss on Friday urged the Tamil Nadu government to promulgate an ordinance to ban online gambling.

The PMK leader met home secretary K Phanidra Reddy at the secretariat on Friday and submitted a representation to the government, on the sidelines of the government holding stakeholder consultation to ban/regulate online games. Today is the last date for submission of views by public to the state government on the proposed gambling ban.

The Tamil Nadu government on last Sunday invited public to give their views on banning online gambling. A press release in this regard was addressed to parents, students, teachers, activists, and psychologists.

The state appointed Justice K Chandru Committee which submitted the report on June 27 had recommended to the government to bring in legislation for a total ban on all online card games, including the game of rummy.

Claiming that online rummy is responsible for several suicides, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss last month recalled the assurance made by Chief Minister MK Stalin on the day he had led an agitation in Chennai in June demanding an immediate ban on online rummy.

Recently, the self regulatory gaming body AIGF has urged the Tamil Nadu governor to not approve the proposed ordinance. AIGF said a complete prohibition or ban on online skill-based games has been held to be arbitrary, illegal and unconstitutional by the Hon’ble Madras High Court in a judgment of a division bench of the court dated 3rd August, 2021 in Junglee Games India Private Limited v. State of Tamil Nadu & Others.