Betting on a long rope from authorities, real money gaming companies are willy-nilly breaking the law. Reason: neither do they have the know-how to implement a slew of new regulations overnight nor are they ready to take a big hit by switching off their platform during the wee hours. And, the authorities seem to understand the dilemma.On February 12, Tamil Nadu, one of the states where the additive influences of online gaming platforms have snowballed into a political issue, slapped new rules that prohibits minors from playing and mandates the companies to impose 'blank hours', from midnight to 5 am, when no gamer can log in. The regulations, backed by a state government gazette notification -and, are therefore now a part of the law -also require gaming companies to bar minor gamers, follow compulsory know-your-customer (KYC) rules, and execute initial log-ins by new players through Aadhaar authentication and second layer verification with one-time-password sent to the phone number linked to Aadhaar.118460935But, industry sources said that most gaming companies are not following the regulations as they are unable to quickly change their systems to put in place a separate set of rules for gamers in Tamil Nadu. At the same time shutting down the platform between midnight to early morning for the entire country would mean losing business from players in other states that have not passed such a law.Even as they apparently tread a legal minefield, gaming companies, aware that they are violating regulations which came into force on February 12 itself, are fishing for more time to get their act together - hoping that the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority (TNOGA) would not crack the whip immediately. They may have a reason. Asked whether TNOGA would act against the companies, a TNOGA spokesperson said, These companies, while expressing their willingness to comply with the Regulations, have sought for some time to comply as they are required to carry out certain modifications in their system/ software. Their request is under active consideration of Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority. Meanwhile, it's learnt that at least two gaming companies are contemplating moving the High Court to challenge the notification. While companies will make their individual decisions, it is technically challenging to implement such complex changes overnight. Larger firms may adapt more quickly, but for MSMEs, this requires significant time and resource investment. We have already written to TNOGA, requesting a reasonable implementation timeline to ensure a smooth transition, said Roland Landers, CEO of All India Gaming Federation (AIGF). The spokespersons of the two other industry bodies E-gaming Federation and Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports did not comment.According to Jay Sayta, a technology and gaming lawyer, Non-compliance of the regulations issued by TNOGA that are duly notified in the gazette and brought into force could result in potential criminal liability for operators under Section 16(3) read with Section 14(1)(c) of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022. However, the Act also states that non-local online games providers can only be punished if the central government first blocks access to such platforms under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Further, the Tamil Nadu law also states that courts can take cognisance of offences under the Act only based on a written complaint by an authorised representative of TNOGA and thus no private person can register an FIR for non-compliance of the regulations or the Act, said Sayta.ATTACKING 'OPINION TRADING'The southern state stepped in at a time when some of the social groups are vehemently opposing online money games, particularly 'opinion trading' where players bet on a range of outcomes like 'runs scored by a cricketer over the next on hour of a match', 'Bitcoin price by the end of the day', or 'tomorrow's weather'. However, most gaming firms are unruffled by brewing discontent. In fact, a few days ago, one of the biggest platforms launched a complicated version of opinion trading involving multiple outcomes in cricket matches.On Friday, a bench of the Supreme Court heard a special leave petition against the January 2025 order of the Gujarat High Court which had dismissed the petitioner's PIL (seeking a ban on opinion trading apps) on the ground that a similar PIL was pending in the Bombay HC and in a matter that has pan-India implications, only one HC should hear the matter. The counsel for the petitioner contended before the apex court that the gambling enactments of Maharashtra and Gujarat are different and it is improper to dismiss the PIL because a similar petition is pending in Bombay HC. After considering the matter, the SC issued notice to the respondents and listed it on March 21, 2025. As it unfolds amid multiple court feuds, tax claims, and aversion to high-risk sweepstakes, the money gaming story is turning out to be a congerie of deep pockets, celebrity endorsers, politicians, and righteous social groups.