Indian state bans sales of lottery tickets

Kerala’s government wants to ban lotteries conducted by the Mizoram government.

India.- The Kerala government is trying to ban lotteries conducted by the Mizoram government, as it has written to the Union Home Ministry in order to stop operations. The state believes that Mizoram’s lottery director violated the current regulations.

As local press revealed, the letter says that the director of the Mizoram Lotteries has entered into an agreement with Teesta Distributors, which violates the Lotteries Regulation Act and Rules, AGBrief states. Kerala Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac cited the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General of India) investigation regarding Mizoram’s gambling, where regularities have been found. The minister said that an they received an incomplete letter that barely described the arrangements made for the lotteries, a requirement to sale tickets.

“This letter, sent to the Chief Secretary, just mentions the name of the distributor and nothing more. Selling of lottery tickets of Mizoram in the state is illegal and it is without getting the state’s permission. The lottery (tickets) coming into the state is not the Mizoram lottery, but tickets of lottery king Santiago Martin,” he added.

Back in June, it was announced that the government of India is planning a new tax on lottery sales the would increase the tickets’ price. Nevertheless, the All India Federation of Lottery Trade & Allied Industries published a complaint arguing that the fee would jeopardise the lottery sales as it directly affects the players’ economy.