IPL SMS gambling game stopped

The SMS game introduced in IPL has been stopped with immediate effect. Earlier a huge controversy sparked off following Sports Minister MS Gill’s remark in which he slammed the game and termed it as ‘betting'. Reacting to the development, 6 UP, the inventors of the game came out in strong disagreement with India’s Sports Minister. "It is not a betting game - you cannot make a bet. It can't be match fixed or manipulated. It does not contribute to corruption," said their Managing Partner George Tomeski. "6UP is a game of (predominate) skill. (Supported by written Indian legal opinion and advice)," he had claimed.

Although no pressure was put for the game to be withdrawn, the organisers decided to stop it with immediate effect. "There was no formal complaints about the game but the Sports Ministers' views were taken into account and the organisers have withdrawn the game," senior BCCI official and a member of the IPL Executive Board Rajiv Shukla told agency. Gill had last week denounced the SMS game in which fans made ball by ball predictions for cash prizes, saying it amounted to gambling.