HC seeks Centre, AAP govt stand on plea to declare poker as gambling, ban on it

The court listed the petition, filed by a lawyer, for hearing on November 28 along with another similar matter.

Last week, the bench had declined to entertain the same plea by the petitioner, Deepti Bhagat, as she had been unable to explain what a poker game was.

Subsequently, she moved the plea afresh and explained how the card game is played.

She has contended that as the player has no control over the kind of cards being dealt to him or her, poker was a game of chance and not skill and, therefore, playing it for high stakes or profit amounts to gambling and is illegal.

Bhagat has also sought cancellation of the licences, if any, issued to any company for playing poker or similar card games.

The petitioner has sought a ban on advertising of such games.

She has claimed that the petition was in public interest as thousands of families face monetary crisis due to gambling activities of a family member.