JOIN USThe Law Commission has clarified that it has strongly and categorically recommended that legalising betting and gambling in sports was not desirable and a complete ban must be ensured.
It said effective regulation remains the only viable option to control gambling if it was not possible to ensure a complete ban.
A day after releasing its 276th report on 'Gambling and betting in sports, including cricket in India', the Commission clarified that legalising betting and gambling in the present scenario is not desirable and that a complete ban on unlawful betting and gambling must be ensured.
“Again, it has been recommended that effective regulation remains the only viable option to control gambling if it is not possible to enforce a complete ban in order to prevent unlawful activities. The Commission has recommended a number of guidelines and safeguards, in the event Parliament or the state legislatures decide to regulate these activities,” it stated in a press note.
Congress party had on Friday rejected the Law Commission recommendations for a model law to allow highly regulated versions of gambling, contending that such a move was fraught with risks of turning every corner shop into a gambling den. “It is not a good idea to turn every paan shop into a gambling den,” Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said, adding that betting could also subvert Indian sports and lead to problems such as match-fixing. AAP leader and advocate Rahul Mehra also criticised the recommendations.