The state, which is home to some 34.6 million people, introduced the ban in February. In response, gaming companies argued that rummy is a game of skill, and so should not be covered by section 14A of the Kerala Gaming Act of 1960 – which specifically covers only games of chance. 

Despite these strong arguments, the Kerala High Court has said it does not agree, and that online rummy for stakes should be a punishable offence. Interestingly, the Keralite authorities are said to be allowing land-based rummy to continue.

AYO.NEWS says:

There have been several times over the past few years when we’ve seen Indian authorities seemingly fail to understand the finer points of the digital world. From cryptocurrencies to online gaming, it does seem that some parts of India’s regulatory apparatus are well and truly stuck in another century. However, despite issues in certain states, the country as a whole still represents one of the most exciting markets for online gambling, video gaming, esports, cryptos and blockchain.