Expressing apprehensions over possible consequences of legalising betting and gambling in India, Law Commission Chairman Justice Balbir Singh Chauhan today said those living below poverty line are vulnerable to such games.
Chauhan said there are chances that vulnerable section, specially people below poverty line, may get addicted to betting and gambling if these games are legalised, which might result in rise in crime and disturbance in social order.
"One-fourth of population of India is below poverty line. There income is very low. These are people who become vulnerable to such games -- betting and gambling.
"If they become addict, entire society faces consequences and consequences are very serious -- crime, violence social order will be disturbed," Chauhan said while speaking at "All India Gaming Summit 2017" on the issue of legalising betting and gambling in the country.
The Law Commission is examining the issue of legalising betting in cricket. Industry body FICCI report released in February estimated betting market in India to the tune of Rs 3 trillion and stated that if it is taxed at a rate of 20 per cent, the Indian government could earn revenue of Rs 120 billion.
Chauhan also stressed on the need for creating awareness about betting and gambling in the society.
He also mentioned non-uniform implementation of the Indian penal code and code of criminal procedure along with division of jurisdiction among challenges that come in the way of legalising betting and gambling.
Delhi High Court judge Justice Siddharth Mridul, while recognising challenges related to making betting and gambling legal, said that man by instinct is a gamer or a gambler and to completely turn blind eye to what human beings have restrictively done since ages may not be an ideal approach.
He said that Chanankya in Arthashastra had suggested regulating gambling rather than abolish it or push it behind closed doors.
"Alternative is of course what Chanakya suggested. It is for the Law Commission to recommend and the government to consider whether they are ought to be regulated or not," Mridul said.
Present at the event, former Director General of Police of Uttar Pradesh Vikram Singh said there has been thousands of arrests in gambling and betting cases but conviction has been hardly 2 per cent.
Singh appreciated the debate to institutionalise gambling and betting as legal in the country and said that it should have been done a decade back.
Essel Group Chairman Amit Goenka said that in some states lotteries and gambling is permitted but a complete framework is required to protect players in the game.
"Government should legalise betting and gambling and put measure in it to curb money laundering, illegal and terror funding through betting and eradicate corruption is another issue which is big agenda of current government. According to me betting market in India is more than the size of Rs 3 trillion as estimated by FICCI," Goenka said.
Speaking in favour of legalising and regulating betting, Member of Parliament and senior advocate of Supreme Court KTS Tulsi said it will provide direct employment to 5.7 lakh people and indirect employment to 1.7 billion people, besides Govt can earn huge revenue by legalising the sector.
Senior lawyer Parag Tripathi said if government doesn't legalise betting and gambling it will continue as illegal means and the government will lose revenue, continue to face problem of funding for illegal activities, black money etc.
He called for political hierarchy to unite on the issue to legalise it.
"Human conduct includes desire to be entertained. Desire to be entertained gaming, whether games of skills or chance, is not unacceptable to most countries of the world. There is no reason today why betting on games of chance should be leigitimise completely," Senior Advocate at Supreme Court Sidharth Luthra said.
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