The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Union of India on a plea filed by an NGO seeking a nationwide ban on online gambling and betting platforms allegedly operating under the guise of social and e-sports gaming.

A Bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice K.V. Viswanathan sought the Centre’s response on the petition, which contends that several online gaming platforms are exploiting regulatory loopholes by presenting games of chance as games of skill, leading to large-scale addiction, financial loss, and social harm.

The plea urges the Court to direct the Central government to formulate uniform laws to regulate or prohibit such activities, citing the absence of a comprehensive national framework and the proliferation of platforms encouraging gambling among youth.