Poker isn’t gambling, but a game, says Indian Poker Association to Gujarat HC

IPA has moved the petition through its secretary KN Suresh who has claimed that he is “illegally” being restrained from carrying out poker activity in Ahmedabad by the state government .

The Gujarat High Court is likely to hear a petition moved by Indian Poker Association (IPA) against the state government on Wednesday “for not interfering with activities of association as poker is not gambling but a game of skill.”

IPA has moved the petition through its secretary KN Suresh who has claimed that he is “illegally” being restrained from carrying out poker activity in Ahmedabad by the state government . He has said poker doesn’t fall under Gujarat Prevention of Gambling Act, 1987.According to the petitioner, he entered into lease with YMCA International Club and started its operations earlier this month.

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Meanwhile, he received a call from Anandnagar police station asking him to appear with all the particulars pertaining to the activities.

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He has said that he appeared before the police and the civic authority with all necessary and relevant particulars but “the officers have been dilly-dallying and evading the petitioner on one pretext or the other and refusing to endorse the application and has instead orally intimated the petitioner to cease his activities failing which he will be visited with dire consequences.”

The petition, moved through lawyer Maulin Pandya, has cited example of other prominent clubs of the city where such games are being played.

Pandya said that there are judgment of Kolkata and Karnataka High Courts that poker is not gambling but a game of skill, still the local authorities are harassing the petitioner. He said that the petition is likely to come up for hearing on Wednesday.

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