Madras High Court ruled Thursday playing rummy with stakes was gambling and punishable under Chennai City Police (CCP) Act.
A division bench of justices D. Murugesan and P.P.S. Janarthana Raja cited a Supreme Court judgment and said, “[From] A reading of the judgment [it] appears to us that in the event rummy is played with stakes, police has authority to take action as per provisions of CCP Act, even though the game involves skill.
In the wake of the definition of ‘gaming’ under section 3 of CCP Act, rummy with stakes would amount to gambling.”
While disposing of a petition by Mahalakshmi Cultural Association (MCA) to restrain police from interfering in its activities, including card games such as rummy with or without stakes, a single judge had held on November 25 that rummy was a game of skill and playing it with or without stakes was permissible.
Police had raided MCA on August 10 and registered FIRs against 56 persons.
DGP, the city police commissioner and two others challenged the single-judge order.
Quoting from Mahabha-rata, the two-judge bench said the evil of gambling found mention even in epics. Playing cards may be relaxing or entertaining, but such play had limitations, it said, adding that cards with stakes had two evils — it corrupted minds of players to become addicts and made most players bankrupt.
Modifying the order of the single judge, the bench said MCA shall not allow members or guests to play rummy with stakes and make gain. Police was entitled to take action in the event of such an illegal activity, it said.
The bench, however, warned police against disturbing the association frequently for inspections without reliable information of illegal activities on its premises.