In India, Rummy is considered a game of skill and playing games of skill is legal. Games of skill are protected by the Constitution of India under Article 19[1](g), unlike gambling, which is declared as games of chance.

Playing a Rummy game is legal just like other card games of skill and is considered a business activity. The Supreme Court of India stated the following points:

• The success of the competition, whether played for money or not, that depends on a particular level of skill, which is not gambling.
• In spite of the fact that there is a slight scope of chance in Indian Rummy, it is predominantly a game of skill and can be called as game of ‘mere skill’. 

Nonetheless, as of October 2022, a few Indian states like Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Assam, Sikkim, Telangana, and Nagaland do not allow playing rummy for real money.

What is a game of skill?

‘Game of skill’ means where the result of a game is based on physical or mental skill and not just chance. On the other hand, a game of chance is where the result of the game is highly persuaded by a random device like rolling dice, numbered balls, spinning tops, playing cards or roulette wheels. In a game of chance, skills might have some role but the result is determined by chance. On the contrary, in a game of skill, chance plays a tiny role whereas skill is an essential factor in determining the result of the game.

Is Rummy a game of skill?

Yes, Rummy is a game of skill as declared by the Constitution of India. Games of skill do not fall under the category of gambling and betting. Online Rummy game is excluded from the gambling and betting category in most Indian states.

A summary of the ruling from the High Court is mentioned-below:

Rummy requires a specific amount of skill as the fall of the playing cards needs to be memorized.  Building sets, sequences, and discarding cards requires skill. Thus, we cannot say that Indian Rummy is a game of chance entirely.

How safe is playing Rummy online?

Playing Rummy games online is completely safe and legal. Online Rummy can be played by anyone above the age of 18 years and from anywhere (permitted states) in the world. On winning, players win real money. Since there is real money involved, its safety plays a vital role, but there is nothing to worry about.

Certified online Rummy apps have an advanced and secure system for online payments via UPI, net banking, debit/credit cards and other such modes. Online payments make transactions between the players and operators safe. The winning amount is automatically transferred to the player’s account, thus reducing the chances of human error, which takes place in offline rummy. All certified Rummy apps have a safe and secure payment gateway like UPI, NetBanking, PayU, Paytm, etc. These Rummy apps are protected with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificate, making payments secure. An SSL certificate verifies an apps/website’s identity and allows the encrypted connection.

Always choose to play Rummy online on an app or website having RNG Certificate, AIGF Membership Certificate, following Fair-play Policy, and has Responsible Gaming procedures in place.