In a plea aimed at limiting the danger of online gambling, Anbumani Ramadoss, the president of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), has called upon the Tamil Nadu government to petition the Supreme Court for a statewide ban on online gambling activities.

The urgency of Ramadoss’s appeal origins from the case of Ramu, a 38-year-old restaurant owner from Tiruttani, whose life ended in a suicide triggered by a debt of ₹10 lakh incurred through online rummy addiction.

As reported by The Hindu, Ramadoss highlighted the reality that Ramu’s demise marks the sixth suicide in Tamil Nadu linked to compulsive online gaming habits since the Madras High Court’s ruling last November. The High Court’s verdict created an exemption for skill-based games like rummy and poker from the blanket ban on online gambling.

Ramadoss is concerned about how gaming is causing more and more events. He says it’s important to challenge the High Court’s decision in the Supreme Court. However, he regretted that the appeal has yet to be scheduled for a hearing, with the Supreme Court set to adjourn for vacation from May 20. Should the state government fail to expedite the legal process, a resolution might not be reached until July.

Ramadoss urged the government to exert pressure on the apex court to prioritize the case and address the crisis of online gambling addiction. He emphasized that intervention is essential to safeguard vulnerable individuals captured virtual gaming platforms.

As the debate over the regulation of online gambling continues, Ramadoss’s plea resonates with the need for concerted action to mitigate the social, economic, and psychological ramifications of online gaming expansion in Tamil Nadu.