India: 11 arrested for illegal gambling in Goa
Police in Panaji carried out a raid at a hotel and arrested 11 people for illegal gambling.
India.- Police have made 11 arrests in a raid at Hotel Crown, in the Goan capital of Panaji. The raid was ordered after it was noticed the complex had a casino licence but was conducting live gaming which is not permitted at onshore casinos.
During the raid, police seized over Rs 27 lakh in cash, among other items including gambling chips. Those arrested were allegedly playing the card game Andar Bahar.
A week ago, police in Jalandhar arrested six people on charges of betting during an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match. In a raid at the Urban Estate Phase I area, officers seized a suitcase having 19 mobiles, five laptops and chargers and three WiFi setups among other electronic items and Rs 1,300.
India: Telangana rethinks online gambling ban
The state of Telangana is rethinking its 2017 ban on all forms of gambling in 2017. It introduced the ban after reports of gambling addiction leading to suicides and bankruptcy but has found it led to players being targeted by illegal offshore sites outside of government control.
Realising the ban may be ineffective, authorities are now also concerned about missed potential tax revenue.
Speaking at the recent All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) Knowledge Series Forum, Telangana’s chief secretary for IT, electronics and communications, Jayesh Ranjan, said he has drafted a bill to change the situation and is waiting for the right time to bring it to the Cabinet.
According to Asian Gaming Brief, Ranjan said he was confident of success and working hard to influence those who pushed for the ban in the first place. He said the original ban was introduced as an easy option compared to avoid having to regulate.
Telangana aims to set up a Gaming Commission, which would be made up of the government, industry associations, retired judges, police and businesses, to regulate gaming.
Other Indian states have seen decisions to ban gaming overturned. In February, the Karnataka state government‘s decision to ban all forms of gambling in the state was overturned by the Karnataka High Court.
