Indian Government to enforce a law to regulate online betting and gambling in the nation

Gambling is a state subject, and only states in India are entitled to formulate laws for gambling activities within their respective states. In association member of Maharashtra Legislative Council Ranjit Patil said that the State government will promptly enact a law to regulate online betting and gambling. Though there are laws to govern betting and lottery in the real world, the State has no legal provisions for the activity on the internet.

The only state where online betting has been made legal is Sikkim. Reports reveal that the Indian online betting market is worth Rs. 3 lakh crore per year and around 40% of Indian internet users have used online gambling sites.

“We are awaiting a report by the Indian CERT (computer emergency response team). But we will meanwhile enact a law to regulate online betting,” Mr Patil said while addressing the Legislative Council on Monday, on a debate related to alleged betting racket run by Game King India Private Limited, owned by  Ramesh Chaurasia who was apprehended by the Indore Police from Mumbai.

However, the opposition raised up allegations that Mr. Chaurasia had established 500 illegal gambling parlours in Mumbai alone. The leader of the opposition, Mr.Dhananjay Munde accused that it was with the support of Mumbai police that the brainbox of the 5,000-crore racket, expanded his business in seven States and 15 countries.   Mr. Munde also questioned: “What is stopping the Mumbai Police from shutting down this site? and What is stopping them from arresting Mr. Chaurasia?”

The government said, Mr. Chaurasia was operating the parlours under the garb of video game parlours, for which he had obtained permissions from the local body. The Indore Police had announced a bounty of 20,000 on him. “Seven cases have been registered against him by our police. Once the CERT report is in, we will shut this website and arrest him at the earliest,” Mr. Patil said. “The Indore Police took a one-and-a-half year to arrest him, but we will not take that long.”

Source: thehindu.com