The Meghalaya state government is all set to legalize gambling and online betting, but only for the tourists coming to the state. On April 21, the state’s Minister of Law and Taxation, James PK Sangma, announced that residents will not be allowed to participate in legalized gambling and online betting, Shillong Times reported.
According to the report, preparations for preparing Meghalaya as a hub for online gaming, online betting and legalized gambling began in February last year when the Meghalaya Prevention of Gambling Act 1970 was overturned by the state government. A meeting was held with the UK India Business Council (UKIBC), after which Sangma released a report titled Gaming for Growth – India’s Sport and Gaming Market Potential.
According to the report, Meghalaya was the most gambling and gambling-friendly state in the country. It scored a total of 92.58 on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 being complete ban and 100 being full legalization. The report suggested how legalization would increase employment, tax revenues and the integrity of the sport.
And that’s why the Ordinance of the Rules of the Game, 2021, was drafted, allowing the people to play “game of skill” and “game of chance” both online and offline. Sangma also said in submitting the bill that the government will only regulate the game and not lead it. During this he stated: “But the legalized gambling and gambling will be only for tourists and not for residents of Meghalaya.”
Under state government regulations, tourists and visitors in the state will be required to provide documents similar to what the bank requires for the KYC (Know Your Customer) to participate in gambling or gambling activities. After the legalization, Meghalaya will become the third state to legalize online and offline games of chance and gambling. The other two states are Sikkim and Nagaland.
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