TLDR
- India’s Supreme Court rejected a challenge from Junglee Games, owned by Flutter Entertainment, against the country’s online gambling ban.
- Junglee argued that skill-based games should be treated differently from games of chance.
- The court ruled that betting on the outcome can turn skill-based games into gambling.
- Flutter Entertainment cut roughly 350 jobs after the ban took effect in May.
- A separate court challenge questioning whether the ban is constitutional is still pending.
India’s Supreme Court has rejected a bid by Junglee Games to overturn the country’s ban on online gambling. Junglee Games is owned by Flutter Entertainment.
The ruling was reported by GamblingNews on October 27. The court upheld the ban on real-money online games, including those based on skill.
The Court Ruled Against Junglee Games
Junglee Games challenged laws in two Indian states, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Both states prohibit real-money online games, even those that rely on skill.
The company argued that skill-based games are not the same as games of chance. It said they should be treated differently under the law.
The Supreme Court did not accept that argument. It ruled that betting on the outcome of a game can turn a skill-based game into gambling.
The court said that betting on games of skill does not enjoy immunity from the restrictions. As a result, the ban on these products stays in place.
According to GamblingNews, the ruling closes off one route that operators were using to fight the ban.
Job Cuts and a Similar Ban in Brazil
India approved its online gambling ban in 2025. The ban took effect in May of this year.
The ban ended India’s growing online gaming sector. Junglee Games chose to keep fighting the ban in court after it took effect.
Flutter Entertainment laid off roughly 350 employees because of the changes. The job cuts came after the company lost access to the Indian market.
GamblingNews reported that India’s situation is similar to the one operators now face in Brazil. Brazil ended its online gaming market less than two years after it launched.
The move in Brazil forced many operators to close their local offices. Some critics have called Brazil’s ban a “populist move.”
Many gaming operators and suppliers have said they remain open to returning to Brazil. They said they would do so if the country changes its position.
The fight over India’s ban is not finished. Gaming companies have taken the ban to court in a separate case.
That case questions whether such a broad ban is constitutional. It is still pending.
