Punjab & Haryana HC asks Centre to respond to PIL seeking action against opinion trading platforms

It argues that despite regulatory obligations, such websites continue to operate freely.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has sought the Centre’s response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that raises concerns over online opinion trading platforms allegedly promoting betting under the guise of market speculation and predictions.

A bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel has issued notices to the Union of India, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and the Haryana government, among others.

According to a Bar and Bench report, the PIL has been filed by Advocate Anuj Malik, represented by former Punjab Advocate General Atul Nanda, who argued that these platforms allow users to earn money by forecasting events such as cricket match outcomes. Nanda, along with Advocate Rameeza Hakeem, told the court that such activities amount to betting and violate several central and state laws.

The petition cites violations of the Public Gambling Act of 1867, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Section 112), the Haryana Prevention of Public Gambling Act, 2025, and the amended 2023 digital media rules. It argues that despite regulatory obligations, such websites continue to operate freely.

As per Bar and Bench, the petitioner, a member of the New India Organisation, has asked for action to curb the unchecked rise of these platforms, which he claims encourage betting on speculative events including elections, stock movements, cryptocurrency, and sports, and all framed as games of chance.

The plea also highlights the role of celebrity endorsements, surrogate advertising, and targeted digital marketing, especially aimed at young users, despite regulatory advisories from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

The PIL urges the High Court to direct enforcement of existing laws and seek a complete ban on the promotion, operation, and advertisement of such platforms.