Online betting banned in Tamil Nadu after Assembly passes bill

The Tamil Nadu State government passed a bill in the assembly on Thursday, banning online betting practise in the state. Any individual violating the Act will face imprisonment upto two years or with fine not exceeding ten thousand rupees.

Recently, there were many suicide cases due to online betting came to light in Tamil Nadu and that resulted in Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) releasing stringnet guidelines from their end. However, that was not enough to regulate the sector.

The last straw came along when some of the police constables who had lost several thousands in online betting committed suicide. The state government issued an ordinance on the issue when the Assembly was not in place. During the assembly, the bill was formally passed.

The Bill states that no one “shall wager or bet in cyberspace using computers, computer system, computer network, computer resource, any communication device or any other instrument of gaming by playing rummy, poker or any other game or facilitate or organize any such wager or bet in cyberspace.”

There will be strict action taken against the individual or companies flouting the rule with the bill suggesting imprisonment upto two years or with fine not exceeding ten thousand rupees or with both. If any companies found conducting online betting in the state, the authority in charge of the company as well as the company, shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence.