Mumbai, June 21: The Bombay High Court has ruled that Dream11, India's sports gaming platform, is a game of skill and playing the game does not amount to gambling. Junking a petition against Dream11 and its owners, the Bombay High Court ruled that Dream11 Fantasy game "is undoubtedly a game of skill and not a game of chance". The bench termed the petition "untenable, misconceived and without any merit".

"It can be seen that success in Dream11’s fantasy sports depends upon user’s exercise of skill based on superior knowledge, judgment and attention, and the result thereof is not dependent on the winning or losing of a particular team in the real world game on any particular day," the bench said, as reported by The Indian Express. "It is undoubtedly a game of skill and not a game of chance," the bench added. ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Points Table.

The high court also dismissed allegations of Goods and Services Tax (GST) evasion by Dream11. "Since the Online Fantasy Sports Gaming of respondent No.3 (Dream11 Fantasy Pvt.Ltd) are not gambling services, the respondent No. 3 is not in error in paying GST under this entry for its online gaming activities, by paying applicable GST @ 18%," it observed. Dream11 Signs 9 International Cricketers and Launches Three New Ad Films Under ‘Ye Game Hai Mahaan’ Campaign.

Advocate Gurdeep Singh Sachar moved the petition seeking directions to initiate criminal prosecution against ‘Dream11 Fantasy Pvt Ltd’. "These fantasy games are nothing but means to lure people to spend their money for quick earning by taking a chance, and most of them end up losing their money in the process, which is thus gambling/betting/wagering, being different forms of 'gambling'," he had argued.

The bench, however, observed: "The petitioner has lost sight of the fact that the result of the fantasy game contest on the platform of respondent No.3, is not at all dependent on winning or losing of any particular team in the real world game. Thus, no betting or gambling is involved in their fantasy games."

Dream11 is the exclusive 'Official Fantasy Game Partner' of the International Cricket Council until 2023. Dream11 has also created the official Fantasy Game for the World Cup 2019 - ICC Dream11 - which is accessible globally at icc.dream11.com. The ICC Dream11 winners will get an opportunity to win an all-expenses-paid trip to Australia to watch the ICC World T20 Finals in 2020.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 21, 2019 11:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).