Legislation Against Online Gambling Will Be Prepared And Cleared In Three Months: Madhya Pradesh Govt To High Court

Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday told the high court that a committee of officers, which considered the issue of online gambling, has sought three months time to prepare an appropriate legislation on the subject, and to get it cleared from the legislative assembly.

The submission was made before Justice Vivek Agarwal during the hearing of a bail application. The court in July had taken suomotu note of online gambling and called for a wider consideration of legality "of such programmes sponsored by star players and actors, alluring youth to make money".

A counsel for Union of India earlier told the court that the matter is a State subject under Schedule VII of the Constitution and therefore the State of Madhya Pradesh is required to legislate on the issue.

A 26-year-old earlier this year had filed a bail plea before the High Court in a case registered last year under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 34 of the IPC. He had been in custody since December 2021.

The accused had allegedly withdrawn a sum of Rs. 8,51,000 from the pension account of his maternal grandfather and used it in playing 'online satta' of IPL.

While granting him bail on the condition that he will deposit 50 percent of the amount within 15 days before trial court, Justice Agarwal on July 16 said:

"Applicant is a youth of 26 years and their needs to be a wider consideration of the scheme of online gaming and their needs to be a wider consideration of legality of such programmes sponsored by star players and actors, alluring the youth to make money."

The court had ordered the Centre and Madhya Pradesh government to examine the "legality of such online gambling schemes promoted by star players and whether they are just and correct and in accordance with the legal provisions obtaining in the country or there is need to check such schemes to save the youth of the country from being diverted to unlawful activities spoiling their career."

The matter is now listed to be heard on March 13 next year.

Case Title: Sanat Kumar Jaiswal @ Sant Kumar v. State of Madhya Pradesh