22 October 2025
The Court of the indian state of Karnataka declared poker as a game of skill, in an appeal introduced by the Indian Poker Association in a case in which several citizens complained of the local police, citing "harassment and demeaning behaviors".
According to the Bangalore Mirror, the complaint of the Indian Poker Association followed a police operation on July 27 at the Royal Flush Sports Association in Chamrajpet, where the police prosecuted 30 people for criminal activity. Two days later, a new police operation went down in a club in Indiranagar.
As such, the Indian Poker Association decided to lodge a complaint in the Supreme Court of the state of Karnataka; the judges finally decided in favor of the players, declaring poker as a game of skill, and thus freeing them of all processes linked to criminal activities .
Being that poker is now considered a game of skill in the state of Karnataka, the clubs don't need to have a special license to organize tournaments or cash games.
