Flutter's Junglee Games loses challenge against India ban

India banned online gambling last year, bringing the fast-growing iGaming sector to a sudden halt. Junglee Games, owned by Flutter Entertainment, continued to fight the ban, but the court rejected the operator's request to strike it down.

The case targeted laws in the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka that prohibit real-money online games. Junglee argued that skill-based games are different from games of chance and should be treated differently. The High Court, however, upheld the ban on such products, stating that skill-based games can turn into gambling when betting is involved.

The fight is not entirely over. Gaming companies have taken the question of whether such a ban is constitutional back to court. India's decision to shut down its online gaming sector has been a serious blow for operators. Flutter was forced to lay off about 350 employees due to the changes.

A similar development has taken place in Brazil. The country shut down its newly opened online betting market in less than two years, and many operators had to close their local offices. Some circles have described the ban as a populist step, while many operators and suppliers say they are ready to resume operations in Brazil if conditions change.