The All-India Gaming Federation (AIGF) claimed the forbidding of online gambling would harm the state’s reputation as a tech- hub and start-up capital.

The news that the Karnataka state government is thinking about revising the Karnataka Police Act 1963 to boycott all types of gambling in the state, including online gambling has been intensely criticized by the All-India Gaming Federation.

As indicated by Roland Landers, AIGF CEO, the bill sees no difference between online gambling and online games of skill. He argues that the latter has been a signal of development for the country.

Landers said: “India is the fifth-biggest online gaming market all around the world, and skill-based gaming, a sunrise sector, is delivering a growing number of unicorns within the country, especially in Karnataka. Skill-based gaming could not measure up to gambling and forbidding it isn’t a reply.”

Landers said the sector had added to the Indian economy and is relied upon to deliver an income of over US$3bn by 2025.

Home Minister Araga Jnanendra has said that the legal amendment is essential since it was hard for the police to deal with betting and gambling because of the new request from a bench of the state high court at Dharwad, which has halted the police striking gambling dens.

As per the Indian Express, Araga Jnanendra said: “There is a great deal of gambling happening using electronic gadgets and this must be controlled.

“The bill plans to strengthen provisions of the Karnataka Police Act to make gambling a cognizable and non-bailable offense and include the use of cyberspace including computer resources or any specialized gadget as defined in the Information Technology Act, 2000.”

Congress leader Ramesh Kumar said that gambling exercises ought not to be led without the police’s information and efforts ought to be made to work on the police’s ability to fight crime.

The reconsidered law accommodates three years’ detainment rather than one year for gambling and a fine of up to RS100,000. The law only excludes betting on horse races from the extent of betting.

Credits: Focus Gaming News