India, Jan. 21 -- A recent Supreme Court hearing in the ongoing legal challenge to the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA) 2025 exposed a worrisome conflation: the bench, in a passing comment, questioned a professional chess player who wanted to join the batch of petitions whether earning income or livelihood through such games is betting or gambling. The Hon'ble Justices' comments reveal that while the intent to protect citizens from the harms of illegal betting is commendable, equating all money-involved games with gambling oversimplifies a complex legal, social, and economic reality, jeopardising legitimate livelihoods.

India's Legal Tradition Protects Skill

For decades, Indian courts have consistently differentiate...