Legality Of Online Cricket Betting - A Legal Dilemma
- IJLLR Journal
- Apr 9
- 1 min read
Updated: Apr 11
Shital Navandar & Prof. Dr. Ujwala Bendale
ABSTRACT
Gambling and betting are prohibited acts under the surviving colonial law in India. Despite the absolute prohibition of these activities, in surreptitious manner gambling and betting have undoubtedly flourished. Hence, legalization of cricket betting is a thought under serious consideration since a few years. Justice Lodha Committee also had recommended legalization of cricket betting. The Supreme Court of India had allowed betting on real money online games like rummy based on skill. But in a regressive move suddenly Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 (referred as PROG Act 2025 henceforth) has been enacted by the Parliament imposing blanket ban on real money online skill based games, on the ground of immorality and addiction. In the light of this blanket ban on real money online games, the present paper has examined the constitutional validity of PROG Act, 2025 and also the issue of legalization of cricket betting in India. It is recommended that blanket ban on real money online games is not in accordance with the well settled judicial precedents. Further it is arbitrary and violative of Article 19(1) (g) of the Constitution. Hence there is a dire need to adopt a regulatory approach. For effective enforcement it is necessary that a regulatory framework shall be adopted by State legislature.
