The Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Internet Gambling and Regulation of Online Gaming Ordinance, 2022, which intends to outlaw online gambling, has been unanimously re-adopted by the state legislature. The measure, which was first adopted on October 19, 2022, was sent back to the government for reevaluation on March 8 by Governor R.N. Ravi, who requested more details and made amendments to the draught legislation.
On Thursday, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin introduced the bill before the assembly and urged his fellow lawmakers to pass it unanimously. In reference to the rash of suicides in the state over the previous three years involving people who had suffered significant financial losses due to internet gambling, he added, “This is a bill passed not just with the brains, but also with our hearts.”
In their suicide notes, several of the deceased requested a ban on such games, he claimed. Stalin also highlighted a state education department report that stated 64% of instructors think that online gaming interferes with children’s academic success.He informed lawmakers that only 27 of the 10,785 emails the government had received from the general public were in opposition to the ban on online gambling.The chief minister further stated, “We could disagree on matters of politics and beliefs, but no one with a heart can disagree on gambling that kills people.”