A high court judge in the Indian State of Gujarat has dismissed a petition to redefine poker as a game of skill under the state’s gaming laws.
The petition was filed by the Indian poker Association after several police raids against card clubs in the state. The petition was backed by Dominance Games, AAA Gaming, and poker clubs in the Indian state of Gujarat.
According to published reports, the groups presented evidence that poker was a game of skill in hearings on the petition, but Justice Rajesh H. Shukla still rejected the petition. The groups have said they plan to appeal the decision.
If successful, the petition would have removed poker from the remit of the Gujarat Prevention of Gambling Act. The decision also comes after the Indian state of Telangana recently passed a bill that bans online betting on poker and rummy.
The decision adds to confusion over poker’s status in the country as the state of Nagaland is pushing for regulation and adopted a law in April 2016 to make online poker legal.
