Center to Respond to Plea Against Online Gaming Bill: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court has directed the central government to respond to a petition challenging the Online Gaming Promotion and Regulation Act-2025. The petitioner contends that the Act threatens to eliminate the livelihoods of thousands overnight. Justice BM Shyam Prasad, presiding over the case, granted the center time to file its response. The court also permitted the petitioners to present detailed arguments in support of their plea for an interim stay on the Act’s implementation. The petitioners’ senior counsel argued that although the Act has received presidential assent, it has not yet been notified. They asserted that immediate implementation would severely impact the industry. The counsel for the plaintiff stated that if the industry were to shut down overnight, the consequences would be dire. The government should either halt the notification until the petitioners’ concerns are addressed or, at the very least, provide a week’s notice to allow them to approach the court. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the central government, stated that this is the first time the validity of such a law is being examined by a court, given its cross-border implications. He argued that once a law is passed by Parliament and receives presidential approval, the notification becomes part of the constitutional process. Mehta contended that courts should not intervene at this stage. The mere fact that someone feels aggrieved does not necessitate that the government provide advance notice before notifying the law. The court inquired whether the central government intends to immediately notify the law. In response, Mehta said he would inform the court after seeking instructions from the government. Subsequently, the court adjourned the hearing and instructed the central government to submit its response, along with the petitioners’ arguments seeking interim relief.