May 27, 2024—In his address to the media persons at his party office in Chennai, PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss reiterated that Tamil Nadu government should approach Supreme Court to ban rummy and poker played online.
Another post published on X reported that a young man who used to work in one of the Swamimalai’s hotels killed himself due to lost money in gambling.
On November 9, 2023, however, Madras High Court did not strike down the entire Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022; but it stated that only games of chance would be prohibited while games of skill like rummy and poker would be permitted.
According to him, since the Madras High Court verdict 12 people have committed suicide because of online gambling. Out of this number, for example last month alone six individuals took their own lives as per the statement by Mr. Anbumani.
Because nothing has been done though he had appealed to Tamil Nadu government for Supreme Court intervention; through this statement he called on state government to speed up legal measures towards implementing the prohibition.
(State helpline for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on 104 & mental health helpline-14416 , Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline –044-24640050)