New Delhi, Nov. 26 -- The Union government on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that unregulated real-money online gaming has demonstrable links to terror financing and money laundering, offering to share classified material showing the specific nature of these connections as it mounted a vigorous defence of Parliament's decision to ban such games entirely.

In a detailed affidavit responding to transfer petitions filed by gaming companies, including Head Digital Works Pvt Ltd, the Centre described the online real-money gaming ecosystem as a "menace" that has enabled systematic criminal activity involving tax evasion, mule accounts, crypto-routed fund diversion, hawala operations and offshore shell entities.

"There is enough material and da...