Poker Gambling Or A Game Of Skill: Gujarat High Court Seeks Government's Stand

The Gujarat High Court today sought the state government's stand on a plea that claimed the popular game of card poker was one of skill and not a form of gambling.

Justice A S Supehia asked the government to file an affidavit by May 22 spelling out its stand on the petition filed by the Indian Poker Association (IPA) last October.

The single-judge bench sought the government's stand while also allowing the IPA to amend its plea to seek an interim relief.

The IPA had moved the court last October, seeking a direction to the state government and the police not to interfere in the activities of poker clubs under the anti-gambling act.

The IPA today said that ever since it moved the high court last year, the police raided over half a dozen poker clubs in the state and forced them to shut down. It sought an interim restraining order against the police.

The Ahmedabad police commissioner issued a notification on May 2 saying that poker is a game of chance and is not exempted under the Gujarat Prevention of Gambling Act, the IPA said. The act exempts the games which involve skill.

The IPA petition contended that poker is not governed by the act as it is a game of skill.

During an earlier hearing, the Gujarat government counsel had said the state government considered poker to be a form of gambling.

The IPA petition claimed that the Calcutta and the Karnataka high courts have ruled in its favour, holding that poker is not gambling.