RAIPUR : The Chhattisgarh Assembly on Thursday passed a Bill banning all forms of online and offline gambling in the state.
The Bill was passed by voice vote in the Assembly, the ‘Chhattisgarh Gambling (Prohibition) Bill, 2022’. It exempts lotteries but bans betting or wagering in person or through online platforms for financial gains.
State Home Minister Tamradhwaj Sahu presented the Chhattisgarh Gambling (Prohibition) Bill, 2022 in the House on Thursday. The stated objective of the bill is to ensure the social and economic security of citizens.
Earlier, gambling was punishable with a fine of Rs 100 or imprisonment for four months. However, the Bill now provides that whoever is found gambling in public places (or abetting it) shall be liable for imprisonment up to six months or a fine of between Rs 3,000 to Rs 10,000, or both.
The bill further states that any person opening or running any house, room, tent, compound, ship, vehicle, online platform, or place as a gambling house, where this Act applies, shall be punished with imprisonment of six months to three years and a fine of up to Rs 50,000. Thereafter with imprisonment of at least two to five years and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh.
Besides, online gambling and its abetment will lead to an imprisonment of between one year to three years and also attract a fine of between Rs 50,000 and Rs 5 lakh for a first-time offence. For subsequent offences, an accused will face imprisonment from two years to seven years and a fine of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.
Moreover, as per the Bill, whoever is found providing a bank account, mobile app wallet or any other account for gambling and gains profit from it shall be liable to imprisonment up to six months or a fine up to Rs 10,000, or both.
Gambling advertisements will be prohibited in print and electronic media and any violation would result in an imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to Rs 50,000.
There is also provision for punishment in the Bill for providing false names and addresses by companies involved in gambling-related offences and persons arrested in such cases. (ANI)