Breaking: Supreme Court to hear challenges to Online Gaming Act on October 7
A bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Vishwanathan will take up the petitions filed by gaming companies, including Head Digital Works, the parent company of real-money gaming platform A23, Clubboom 11 Sports and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, Bagheera Carrom (OPC) Pvt and others
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The Supreme Court has scheduled October 7, 2025, to hear a batch of petitions challenging the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, a law that crippled the real money gaming industry. The law bans all forms of games both skill and chance if played for stakes.
A bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Vishwanathan will take up the petitions filed by gaming companies, including Head Digital Works, the parent company of real-money gaming platform A23, Clubboom 11 Sports and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, Bagheera Carrom (OPC) Pvt and others. The apex court’s move follows weeks of legal uncertainty for online gaming operators, who argue that the new law is crippling the sector.
Urgent Listing Sought by Industry
During a brief hearing on Friday, lawyers representing gaming platforms urged the bench to expedite the listing of their petitions. One advocate reminded the court that Justice Pardiwala had earlier presided over a bench that allowed the transfer of cases from different High Courts to the Supreme Court.
A mentioning was made before the Supreme Court seeking urgent listing of the petitions challenging the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025. CJI BR Gavai agreed to list the same.
“Our businesses have been shut down. Our petition was before the Karnataka High Court, which has been transferred here at the instance of the Centre. Please list it urgently,” counsel for one of the gaming companies pleaded.
The Centre had earlier sought the transfer of all related matters to the Supreme Court, citing the need for uniform adjudication. On Friday, the bench allowed this request, consolidating petitions that had been pending before the Delhi, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh High Courts.
The judges directed that records from all three courts be transferred digitally to the Supreme Court within one week. Importantly, Justice Pardiwala clarified that any fresh petitions filed in other courts challenging the Online Gaming Act must also be transferred directly to the apex court.
“If there are any challenges to the validity of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, the same must not be entertained and must be transferred to the Supreme Court,” the bench stated.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Union government, argued in favor of consolidation, noting that the same bench had previously considered similar petitions. “It would be much easier to conclude the matter if they are heard together,” he submitted.
Senior Advocate C. Aryama Sundaram, appearing for the industry, also supported the move, saying that bringing all cases under one roof and relying on digital transfers would make proceedings faster and more efficient.
The petitions highlight the growing friction between India’s online gaming industry and regulatory authorities. Head Digital Works, which runs A23, initially approached the Karnataka High Court, while Bagheera Carrom (OPC) Pvt. Ltd., a member of the E-Gaming Federation (EGF), moved the Delhi High Court. In Madhya Pradesh, Clubboom 11 Sports and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., associated with the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS), filed its own challenge.
