Poker is gambling and cannot be permitted: HC

 Putting an end to a controversy, Gujarat high court on Monday held that the game of poker is gambling and hence cannot be permitted.

Various petitioners who wanted to organize poker house in the city had approached the high court last year after they did not get permission from city police to organize the game. These petitioners told the court that cops were silent on the grant of permission for the game of poker and there were attempts on part of local police stations to stop the game.

Some associations of poker organizers like Indian Poker Association too involved in the litigation and asserted that poker cannot be considered a gambling and the gaming zones should be permitted to organize poker room in the city.

The high court was reluctant to entertain nearly a dozen such applications on technical ground that the nature of litigation was civil, but the petitions were filed as criminal applications. The petitioners withdrew all the applications to file them afresh on civil side.

Accordingly, fresh petitions were filed and the issue was debated at length. The state government vehemently opposed any kind of permission for poker in Gujarat on the ground that it is gambling and if allowed, the game has potential to spoil lives of people who play the game.