AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam on Friday urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to expedite efforts to ban online gaming and ensure that law and order was maintained in Tamil Nadu.
In a statement, he said the online games with stakes was addictive and could have dangerous implications. There could be no two opinions that online gaming amounted to gambling, he argued.
Recalling a decision taken by the AIADMK government, under Jayalalithaa, in 2003 to ban lottery tickets, Mr. Panneerselvam said, “The ban is in force, there are media reports that this industry is up and running and many influential people are behind it and the police are indifferent.”
This being the case, online gaming went unregulated. “I had demanded that it be banned. The Chief Minister, too, said the government would put an end to online gaming. But no action has been taken so far. This is condemnable,” Mr. Panneerselvam said.
He referred to cases of murders and suicides in various parts of the State owing to online gaming and said many had lost huge sums. He referred to the legislation enacted by the AIADMK government, which was struck down by the Madras High Court, and said the appeal was pending before the Supreme Court.
“Given the government’s lackadaisical attitude, it is suspected that those in power extend discreet support [to online gaming],” Mr. Panneerselvam said.
