AMMK General Secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran Demands Ordinance To Ban Online Gaming In Tamil Nadu

Several people, including women and youths, have reportedly committed suicide after heavy losses in online rummy games.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman categorically termed online gaming "nothing but gambling".

Source : Getty

Chennai: AMMK General Secretary and nephew of former AIADMK interim General Secretary V.K. Sasikala, T.T.V. Dhinakaran on Sunday called on the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government to bring out an ordinance to ban online games in the state.

In a social media post, the AMMK leader said that recently, a policeman had committed suicide at Coimbatore after losing heavily in an online rummy game, and asked the government how many lives need to be lost before an ordinance is brought to ban online games.

Here's Dhinakaran's tweet (in Tamil):

ஆன்லைன் ரம்மி விளையாட்டால் இன்னொரு உயிர் பலியாகியிருப்பது வேதனையளிக்கிறது. கோவையைச் சேர்ந்த ஆயுதப்படைக் காவலர் காளிமுத்து ஆன்லைன் ரம்மியில் பணத்தை இழந்து தற்கொலை செய்து கொண்டிருக்கிறார். (1/3) @CMOTamilnadu

— TTV Dhinakaran (@TTVDhinakaran) July 17, 2022

Noting that the government had constituted a panel that had given a report, he asked: "When are they going to find a solution to this?"

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Several people, including women and youths, have reportedly committed suicide after heavy losses in online rummy games. Police constable, Kalimuthu, 28, who was attached to the Coimbatore reserve police force, shot himself on Friday and passed away early on Saturday. His relatives and friends had alleged that the cop had around Rs 20 lakh debt as he had borrowed money to square off the debts incurred in online rummy games.

Last month, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman categorically termed online gaming "nothing but gambling".

She also said on the issue of extending the Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation from June 30, the views of some states were heard so far but nothing was decided.

Addressing the media at the conclusion of the two-day meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council here, Sitharaman said casinos, horse racing, and online gaming are all gambling.

"Whether it is horse racing or online gaming or casinos, the common thread that the Committee highlighted was they are part of betting and gaming.

"In other words, they are essentially gambling. There may be an element of skill in it or an element of chance in it. But essentially, all the three are gambling," Sitharaman said.