In parallel, there is growing recognition of skill-based platforms as legitimate forms of intellectual engagement.
Mumbai: In a significant development for India’s skill-based gaming industry, the Hon’ble High Court of Chhattisgarh at Bilaspur has granted interim relief to SBN Gaming Network Pvt. Ltd., the operator of SportsBaazi.
The relief comes in response to a petition filed by the company challenging a directive dated May 5, 2025, issued by the Inspector General of Police (Technical Service), Chhattisgarh. The directive had instructed telecom and internet service providers to block access to certain platforms, including SportsBaazi, under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act and local gambling laws.
Represented by Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, the petitioner argued that SportsBaazi operates a legally compliant, skill-based fantasy gaming platform, and that the action taken was arbitrary, lacked due process, and extended beyond the territorial jurisdiction of the state. The court took note that no prior notice, hearing, or complaint had been issued to the platform.
Recognizing the platform’s skill-based nature, the court acknowledged SportsBaazi’s undertaking and observed that no violation or conviction had been recorded against the platform under anti-gambling laws. The interim order allows continued operations outside Chhattisgarh, while directing the platform to restrict access within the state through technical means.
This legal development comes at a time of strategic realignment within India’s real-money gaming (RMG) industry, which continues to navigate an uncertain regulatory landscape, particularly amid the ongoing Supreme Court proceedings on the 28% GST applicable to gaming platforms.
In parallel, there is growing recognition of skill-based platforms as legitimate forms of intellectual engagement. A recent study by IIT Delhi affirms that users who apply reasoning, domain knowledge, and consistent strategies perform significantly better than those who engage without a structured approach, reinforcing the classification of such platforms as skill-driven rather than chance-based.
Adding further weight to this argument, a policy report by Evam Law & Policy and Vinayaka Mission’s Law School analyzed data from leading opinion trading platforms. The findings showed clear patterns of progressive skill development, high win-rate consistency, and strategic gameplay hallmarks of a game of skill. The report calls for regulatory clarity and policy alignment in line with evolving legal and market realities.
The next hearing on the SportsBaazi matter is scheduled for the first week of August 2025.