Plea in Bombay HC to declare Ludo a game of luck, not skill

By LE Desk

Mumbai, June 7: A petition has been filed in the Bombay High Court concerning the famous board game ‘Ludo’. The petitioner, Keshav Mule of Maharashtra NavNirman Sena (MNS), has sought that the game should not be called skilful rather it should be called a game of luck. 

Mule, in his petition, has demanded action against the mobile version of the game and the matter will be heard on June 22, News18 reported.

With the development of technology, traditional games like ludo are available in the mobile version and the feel of pieces moving and rolling the dice is nearly extinct. The petitioner said that the Ludo Supreme app demands five rupees from each player which makes the total sum of rupees 20 and the winner receives a sum of rupees 17 whereas three rupees go to the app.

The petitioner’s lawyer Nikhil Mengde also added that gambling in the name of ludo is taking a form of social evil.

The matter first reached the magistrate court where an FIR against the game was refused considering it a game of skill. The petitioner claimed that the mode of playing the game with money comes under sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Prohibition of Gambling Act. 

Another question was raised about the need for urgent hearing of the petition immediately, to which the lawyer added, it is taking the form of social evil and the youth are getting attracted towards it. He has also demanded the court’s immediate intervention in the matter.

Before filing the petition, Mule had reached the VP Road police station in Mumbai regarding the matter. Here, the police did not act on his complaint. Thereafter the petitioner moved to the Magistrate Court. There, it was termed as a game of skill and no FIR was ordered. Now the petitioner has sought that the High Court quash the order of February 12 and order the police to take action.

https://www.news18.com/news/india/mns-leader-moves-bombay-hc-to-take-action-against-ludo-apps-under-gambling-act-3811349.html