The Supreme Court takes cognizance of a PIL requesting a ban on online betting applications. The PIL, filed by the President of Global Peace Initiative and evangelist Dr. KA Paul requests the Supreme Court to ban all online and offline betting apps harming India’s social and democratic fabric. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh issued a notice to the Union Government, asking their response. According to Dr. Paul, he represents the parents who lost their kids due to uncontrolled betting platforms. He raise concerns over risking the country's youth by influencing them for gambling. The petitioner urged the Supreme Court to intervene immediately protecting the Indian youth from gambling platforms disguising as skill-based games and fantasy sports.
Dr. Paul highlighted the involvement of cricketers, influencers and actors promoting these applications that attracts children without knowing the consequences. He presented an FIR lodged in Telangana naming 25 public figures accused of endorsing such applications misleading the youth. He informs the court that all suicide cases in Telangana were due to the rising debts from betting losses. The petitioner informed the court about the loopholes of the current regulations made on outdated Public Gambling Act, 1867. He emphasized on the requirement of an unified national policy to control and monitor the activities of betting apps.
Dr. Paul says that he submitted the plea in the larger public interest to protect the Indian youth from harmful, unregulated and exploitive online betting industry. The petition identifies the absence of statutory warning in betting applications unlike tobacco that carries mandated health risk publicity. According to the petitioner, 30 crore Indian population are unlawfully exploited that violates fundamental rights under article 21. The petitioner indirectly names Sachin Tendulkar saying that the God of cricket who is blindly followed by his fans promote betting platforms.
After hearing his arguments Justice Surya Kant accepts that he fundamentally believe such activities must be stopped and the society needs to be corrected. He further adds that huge IPL viewership attracts illegal betting and will direct the Central Government to explain their regulatory measures. The Supreme Court accepts the serious impact and consequences mentioned in the petition issuing a notice to the Union of India. The court asks immediate response from the Center explaining the preventive measures and enforcing laws to stop illegal betting. The case now awaits response from the Union Government before the next hearing.
