Vanakkam Rummy (Legally

Rummy’s classification as a skill game hasn’t kept up with the internet era. So, we take look at the strangling legal face off that rummy has with Indian system.

By Manthra Koliyer

If you are a person who is even slightly associated with the real money gaming industry, then you must’ve indeed witnessed its unprecedented surge during the pandemic.

However, in spite of the fact that the games kept us engaged through one of the worst phases, they have constantly received backlash. Rummy has always been at the receiver’s end, though it has been in the Indian system for aeons. Despite having a lack of support, the rummy industry has seen tremendous progress. So, have we ever pondered why the companies, despite the taboo, keep on venturing into the rummy vertical and what incentives are in place? played in India, rummy tests players’ analytical and mathematical skills and is also believed to enhance individuals’ qualities of estimation and decision-making. The online rummy brands, who are fully aware of this fact, have had humble beginnings but have touched skyrocketing positions today. Take the example of Ace2Three Rummy, a brand that started in 2006 from a garage. Entrepreneur and Actor Chiranjeevi fan Deepak Gullapalli, Founder and CEO, Head Digital Works, had mentioned in a previous interview with us that the idea of transforming the card game into the electronic version was solely due to the popularity of the game in Indian households.

If you look at the major brands who have made a mark in the industry, the majority of them believed to the core the value of skill gaming and especially rummy! Amit Kushawah of RummyCulture decided to delve into rummy solely to improve the players’ gaming experience using tech intervention at every stage and present them with higher gameplay.

Strangling legality issues

Almost 55 million Indians play online rummy, but the odds are skewed against them. Rummy’s classification as a skill game hasn’t kept up with the internet era. In India, authorised and certified sites make it legal to play rummy. In 1996, the Supreme Court of India declared that playing any skill game for real money or free is legitimate and that it is neither gambling nor betting. The court characterised a “game of skill” as a game in which a player’s success is primarily determined by their mental capacity, competence, knowledge, and experience rather than chance or luck. Given that the court has declared rummy to be a game of skill, it is likely that the court will declare online rummy to be a game of ‘mere talent,’ leaving rummy websites mainly unaffected.

The believers

One of the oldest card games

The Indian Constitution grants state legislatures the right to implement state-specific laws on “betting and gaming.” While a few states have followed the federal statute, a handful of states have enacted their legislation. Since internet gaming came after adopting gambling legislation, most Indian gambling regulations focus on gaming at physical locations. As a result, when gambling regulations are applied to online gaming, complicated legal difficulties develop. Some states have specifically exempted particular games from the definition of gambling, while others have made it permissible to play certain games after getting a licence. While there is a grey area about the legality of the game, it has not deterred the industry from growing.

Growing in South India amidst ban

Approached as a family-friendly game, in 2019, online rummy accounted for 335 million U.S. dollars in India, which was estimated to reach 1.4 billion dollars by 2024. The growth of this industry was mainly driven by the rural and semi-urban regions of South India, owing to its popularity and fan base. But why South Indians are more prone to playing rummy, you may ask! It is ‘believed’ that South Indians have that ‘extra’ high affinity for mathematics, probability, and reasoning and rummy is all about that! Rummy is unquestionably more popular in South India than other chance-based games.

The Tamil Nadu Saga

Despite resistance from political parties in Tamil Nadu, the love for the game is expanding, with thousands of individuals coming on to play the cards. One can prove this point right by correlating the love for the game with the numbers that RummyCulture’s tournament achieved - a participation of 109,000 players. The tremendous participation reinforced the sign that Indians prefer skill-based card games. Most of the players were from the Southern states, with 40% from Tamil Nadu, 22% from Andhra Pradesh, and 7% from Karnataka. As per a report in The Hindu, Junglee Games had about 1-2 lakh, monthly customers in Tamil Nadu who played free rummy - 10,00020,000 of them were involved in money-related games.

The elephant in the room

What is the rationale that makes people choose rummy again and again, despite the ban? The Madras High Court declared that the online gaming ban imposed by Tamil Nadu was ‘invalid.’ Furthermore, the Madras HC also stated that the law enacted by the Tamil Nadu Government banned online betting games like rummy ultra vires of the Constitution. Along with this, the firms who challenged the ban also highlighted that the Supreme Court in 1968 had very clearly categorised rummy as a game of skill and not a game of chance. It is believed that the association of the game and people in Tamil Nadu has a much deeper meaning to it which undoubtedly makes them favour the card game over others.

A legally fair play

To maintain a legally safe gaming environment for all of its players, online rummy platforms have a fair play policy. In addition to utilising certifications and security tools to secure user information, the major platforms take responsibility for organising fair matches on their portal/ app. The fair play policies, as per TORF’s standards, ensures that there is no room on the platform for any cheating or collusion. Unique algorithms have been implemented to assist, detect and prevent any fraudulent behaviour at the tables and on the app.

Drawing the curtains

Drawing the curtains, we wish to emphasise the idea that this surge in rummy numbers is not a boom but a sign of an evergrowing industry. The trajectory of rummy in India, especially South India, especially Tamil Nadu, is expected to hit the sky. The pandemic merely set off a trend that is only likely to grow bigger and bigger. We believe that regulation is the key to ensuring that people in a safe and secure environment can avail skilled gaming entertainment in a responsible manner.