A group of professional gamers and the Esports Players Welfare Association (EPWA) have filed a legal challenge against Tamil Nadu’s new regulations on real money gaming. The petition, submitted to the Tamil Nadu High Court, argues that the restrictions violate fundamental rights and unfairly target professional players.
What’s the issue?
The Tamil Nadu Regulations on Real Money Gaming, 2025 impose strict limits on online gaming, including a ban on playing between 12:00 AM and 5:00 AM. Gamers argue that these are peak hours for international tournaments, and the ban threatens their careers and earnings.
Why are gamers protesting?
The petition challenges the regulation on three key grounds:
Right to Livelihood: Thousands of professional gamers rely on online gaming as a career.
Competitive Fairness: Global tournaments take place at night, and the restrictions prevent Indian players from competing on an equal footing.
Arbitrary Rules: The ban assumes everyone sleeps from 12 AM – 5 AM, ignoring the realities of professional gaming.
Who is affected?
EPWA represents top gamers, including:
Vikram Kumar Lungi – Asian Poker Tour Champion
PS Rathanvel – Chess prodigy with an active global ranking of 737
Aditya Sushanth Donka – World Series of Poker (WSOP) Bracelet winner
They argue that while the rest of the country can play freely, Tamil Nadu gamers are being unfairly restricted.
What do gamers say?
Vikram Kumar Lungi: “International events happen at night. Why should Tamil Nadu players be treated differently?”
PS Rathanvel: “Restricting us from playing at night is like telling an athlete they can’t train during peak hours.”
Aditya Sushanth Donka: “If these laws stay, India will be the only country where playing at night is illegal.”
What’s next?
Gamers and EPWA are determined to fight the regulations in court. The case could decide the future of online gaming in Tamil Nadu and set a precedent for other states.