Rummy Joins List of 'Dangerous Activities' in India

Online rummy is generally considered to be a sleepy, somewhat forgotten corner of the online gambling world. Sure, there are rummy affiliates and passionate rummy players, but they’re generally not thought of as being glamorous loners like poker players, or flashy alpha dogs like professional sports bettors…except in India.
Under the terms of a new set of laws passed by the the Telengana legislature (a national Indian lawmaking body similar to Parliament) rummy is a “dangerous activity.” And when the Telengana says rummy is dangerous, they mean dangerous like armed robbery and kidnapping are dangerous.
Rummy’s ascension into the realm of felonious and violent activities comes as the Telengana updated the Telangana Gaming Act (TGA) of 1974, according to Glaws.in. The move was part of series of amendments that carry the epic title of, Telangana Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Dacoits, Drug-Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders and Land-Grabbers (Amendment) Bill.
While the placement of rummy on a list of activities that includes armed robbery may seem almost amusing to outsiders, it’s no joke to Indian rummy operators. After all, under the terms of the bill, local police have the authority to detain anyone suspected of engaging in banned activities for up to a year without pressing charges or even offering bail. Let that sink in for a moment. It really puts a new, very serious spin on the old game of skill vs game of chance debate.
For better or worse, the Indian rummy business has been down this road before and is ready for a fight. Operators have vowed to use every legal option to fight the new rules. Until then, their work is now a very dangerous activity.