Dream 11, a popular fantasy betting app is facing a police case in Karnataka after the state introduced new laws that prohibits online gambling.
The state law, which came into effect this week, bans online games involving betting and wagering and “any act or risking money, or otherwise on the unknown result of an event including on a game of skill”.
With IPL going on the online betting app is hugely popular among users, even in J&K as people continue to use the addictive fantasy portal that allows users to create virtual teams of real life players.
Police records on Saturday showed a case has been registered in India’s tech capital Bengaluru, in Karnataka, against Dream11’s founders following a complaint by a 42-year old cab driver who reported the gaming app as being operational after the ban came into force.
Dream11 told Reuters it believes “the complaint is motivated,” but did not elaborate.
The company is examining its legal remedies and “we are a responsible, law abiding company and will extend our full cooperation to any authorities,” a spokesperson said.
The Dream 11 app was still allowing users in Karnataka, home to India’s Silicon Valley, to play fantasy games on Saturday.
The Karnataka ban has intensified concerns that growing state regulations could hit the nascent but booming gaming sector in India, where foreign investors have pumped in millions of dollars in recent months.