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BJP calls for ban on online rummy in Andhra Pradesh

The traditional game Rummy is the most popular card games of all time but a section of the state of Andhra Pradesh is demanding to put a ban on online rummy. Since the COVID-19 lockdown in the country, India’s online gaming industry is growing at a rapid pace and is expected to hit $1 billion mark by 2021, with a userbase of more than 628 million gamers.

At this crucial point of time, the Vice-President of AP unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), S. Vishnuvardhan Reddy wrote a letter dated 22 May, addressing the state’s Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, urging him to ban online rummy and other games in the state. This is not the first time that online rummy produced opposition in the state. In 2019, the CM based his opinion on the assertion by Avanthi Srinivas, State Minister for Tourism, Culture and Youth Advancement, that online rummy ruins lives and corrupts youngsters.

Telangana banned online rummy and other games played of real money or stakes in 2017. In 2018, they also banned rummy in general, declaring it a dangerous activity. And in his recent letter, Vishnuvardhan Reddy stated that the state should follow the footsteps of Telangana. According to local media, CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna, the CPI condition secretary has cited an example of a head cashier of a community-sector lender who allegedly used bank’s funds to participate in the sport and was apprehended.

The Rummy Federation (TRF) claimed that the it was focused on secure, responsible and fair gaming. The federation says that in an initiative to provide a safe and fair atmosphere to players, it has awarded accreditation seals to four online operators of rummy – Ace2three, Rummy Circle, Junglee Rummy and Rummy Passion. This certifies compliance of operators to TRF code of conduct.

Sameer Barde, CEO of The Rummy Federation, said, “Online rummy is a rapidly growing industry with new players joining every day and several emerging operators. With the growing number of players and operators, the online rummy system has become quite robust.”

In 2018, the then CM N. Chandrababu Naidu also indicated regulations on games like rummy and poker was in the pipeline. He spoke about focus, coordination of mind and skill in playing card games while warning against their harmful effects involving addiction. For more updates on gaming industry in the country, stay tuned to GutshotMagazine.com.

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