Telangana, an Indian state in the south central part of the sub-continent is rethinking its commitment to banning gambling. The state, which has a 35 million population banned all gambling in 2017.
It was inspired to do the ban by reports that problem gambling had led to suicides and bankruptcies.
Now it is considering a bill to regulate, rather than ban something that is apparently continuing on in the black market and on illegal offshore websites, despite being illegal. This would bring it in line with India’s Supreme Court, which has ruled that there is a distinction between online games of chance and games of skill, such a poker.
Several other states have imposed bans, only to have them successful challenged in court. Currently there is only state law government gambling, and no federal law.
Telangana Principal Secretary for IT, Electronics & Communications, Jayesh Ranjan recently told an audience at the All Indian Gaming Federation that he has prepared legislation that he hopes to present to the cabinet.
The ban five years ago happened because the government wasn’t able to regulate the industry, so it resorted to a ban. Now the state plans to create committee of government, industry, police, retired judges and business to recommend what games to regulate and what games to continue to ban.
Ranjan added, “We know employment opportunities in gaming companies are much more versatile, so even if you don’t have much of a formal education, you still can learn a few applications software, you can find respectable employment.”
