Supreme Court Issues Notice to the Union in PIL to Ban Online Gambling Apps Disguised as e-Sports

Yesterday (November 04, 2025), the Supreme Court (SC) of India issued an order in relation to the petition (filed by an NGO) seeking a nationwide ban on online gambling and betting games operating in the guise of social and e-sports games. The SC bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice KV Viswanathan issued notice to the Union of India and ordered, “According to the petitioner, there are about two thousand apps as on date operating online relating to betting and gambling. The petitioner want the government to take immediate action in this regard in larger public interest affecting the youth more particularly of the nation. Issue notice. Let an appropriate reply be filed to the petition.” The bench also directed that the matter under consideration be tagged along with the petitions challenging the provisions of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025. The reliefs sought by the petitioner (a Non-Government Organization) are as follows:

• “Issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ thereby directing the Respondents…do a harmonious interpretation of provisions of Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 and laws made by State Legislatures, to prohibit online gambling and betting games operating in the guise of social and e-sports games.
• Issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ thereby directing the Respondent No 1 to take action and issue blocking orders under section 69A of the IT act against all unlawful betting and gambling platforms in India.
• Issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ thereby directing the Respondent No 3 to issue directions to RBI, NPCI and other UPI platforms to not allow any transactions of online money games' "which are not registered in India.
• Issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ thereby directing to the Respondents to adopt stringent provisions of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gaming Act, 2022 at all India to curb the menace of online gambling and betting as done like invoking of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999 to combat organised crimes and terrorism.
• Issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ thereby directing to the Respondent No. 5 and 6 to strictly adhere with the IT (Intermediary) Rules 2021 and allow only those whitelist online gaming apps in Play Store which are duly licensed by the Indian authorities.
• Issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ thereby directing the Respondent No.3 to issue directions for recovery of GST and Income Tax from offshore companies by getting the assistance of Interpol through ED and CBI agencies of India.
• Issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ thereby directing the Respondents to protect the data of the children already collected by online gaming companies.
• Issue or pass any writ, direction or order, which this Hon'ble court may deem in and proper under the facts and circumstances of the case.”