Flutter’s Junglee loses state-level legal challenge in India

India’s Supreme Court has dismissed review petitions filed by Flutter Entertainment-owned Junglee Games and other gaming operators seeking to overturn state-level restrictions on online skill-based games played for stakes in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The legal dispute dates back to 2021, when Tamil Nadu and Karnataka introduced amendments to their respective gaming laws targeting online betting and gambling. Junglee Games and other operators challenged the restrictions, arguing that games of skill, such as rummy, should be distinguished from games of chance and should not be subject to the same prohibitions. The Madras High Court struck down the relevant Tamil Nadu amendments in August 2021, while the Karnataka High Court struck down provisions of the state’s relevant act in February 2022, essentially siding with the gaming operators. Tamil Nadu then appealed the Madras High Court ruling to the Supreme Court in December 2021, with Karnataka following in May 2022. The Supreme Court finally overturned both High Court rulings and upheld the state laws in May 2026. Junglee Games and other operators subsequently filed review petitions asking the Supreme Court to reconsider its judgement, but those were later dismissed in a court order dated 15 October, which was made public two days ago, on 26 October. The state-level dispute unfolded alongside a separate nationwide crackdown on real-money games. India enacted the Promotion and Regional of Online Gaming Act in August 2025, which came into force on 1 May 2026. Operators were essentially either chased out of the country or forced to shut down altogether. Junglee Games was founded in 2012 by Ankush Gera, becoming one of India’s largest suppliers of rummy games with a player base of 120 million at its peak. Flutter first acquired a 51% majority stake in the San Francisco-based games studio in 2021, but later pulled the brand completely out of India as a result of the federal ban. However, the gambling multinational still maintains a local presence through its Hyderabad-based Global Capability Centre, which staffs more than 1,000 people and provides finance, tech and data support for Flutter’s global brands, including FanDuel, PokerStars, Betfair, and Sky Betting & Gaming.