According to reports, the sixth and tenth class textbooks no longer include lessons on card games like rummy, following demands from academics, teachers, and political leaders in the state of Tamil Nadu.

The syllabus for class sixth, third semester Math Textbook gave examples using playing cards; the integers chapters taught students addition and subtraction through playing cards, while the class tenth students had lessons for statistics and facts with card decks.

Starting this academic year, the lessons containing examples through playing cards have been removed and replaced with new examples. According to reports, the examples were swapped with coloured flowers instead of playing cards.

In statistics, the examples of picking a random card were also removed, and only rolling a die and flipping a coin are left in the new textbooks. The changes were made due to recent suicides in the state due to online rummy. The people urged that these examples in textbooks encouraged these kinds of activities.

The Tamil Nadu government recently banned online games like rummy and poker in the state through a new bill called the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill.

The first time the bill was sent to Governor RN Ravi, he returned it without giving his assent, saying that the state does not have the authority to pass the bill and ban online games. Law Minister S Regupathy clarified that the state can pass the bill, and it will be passed again and sent back to the Governor.

Governor Ravi gave his assent after the bill was re-enacted and came into effect across the state, banning online games, including skill games like Rummy and Poker. Only the games that did not have a monetary aspect are allowed under the law.