<p>Though spot-fixing in the Indian Premiere League has shocked the nation, gambling is not something new in India. It is in vogue for the last 3500 years, but there has been barely any effort to scientifically document its impact on the society.<br /><br /></p>.<p>While studying the behaviour of alcoholics, researchers at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans), Bangalore, decided to focus the spotlight on gambling because of the links between two social evils. Their research – published recently in the journal Addiction – tells a fascinating story on how gambling flourished in various periods and how it continues to remain an underbelly of the society though its potential in tax collection was highlighted by Chankya in his Arthasashtra in 350 BC.<br /><br />Gambling was a widespread pastime in ancient India and it was Yudhisthir’s inability to resist the temptation that led to an epic war in the Mahabharata, 1500 BC. One of the earliest description of compulsive gambling is contained in the gambler’s lament from a hymn in the Rig Veda, which was composed anytime between 1700 and 1100 BC.<br /><br />The 11th century classical text Kathasarithsagar and ancient theatre Mricchakatika showed gambling was commonplace among the commoners. Besides dice games, betting on the outcome of chariot races and cock and ram fights were popular. The Arthasasthra prescription was organisation of gambling houses under gambling commissioners, who supplied and certified the dice and collected a fee of 5 per cent of the receipts.<br /><br />During the Islamic rule, gambling and drinking were officially proscribed as they were considered against the Islamic law (Sharia). Yet gambling remained ubiquitous and was popular in Mughal court as Babur introduced a type of gambling (known as ganjifa). Aurngzeb appointed muhtasaibs (censors of public morals) to suppress public passion for gambling and alcohol consumption without much lasting effect.<br /><br />Gambling continued in the colonial regime. Ritual gambling during festivals took place at Diwali and Janmastami. The practice continues even today.<br /><br />The number gambling (satta) became popular in the 18th century during which time Indian mercantile community put their bet on commodity figures. Speculation on the opium, gold, silver and cotton markets was an important business activity and so was the monthly figure gambling on the price of opium and cotton. The winning number was the average of five daily quotations. Rain gambling was introduced in Calcutta by the Marwari mercantile community who placed bets on the amount of rainfall within a “prahar” (three hours).<br /><br />Despicable professions<br /><br />These practices were viewed with alarm by both colonial officials and native elites, seeking to modernise the economy. The protection of women was used as a reason to outlaw barsat ka satta, as they claimed Marwari families, ruined by debt, forced female family members into “despicable professions”.<br /><br />Anti gambling legislation in British India was effective initially in three cities – Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. Later it was expanded to ban gambling within 10 miles of any railway station in districts. The Public Gaming Act, 1867 created a distinction between gaming (betting on a game of skill like horse racing where skill overrides the luck factor) and mere betting without gaming. The underlying aim was to make a distinction between satta, played by natives and legalised gambling on the racetracks, frequented by ruling elites. The distinction was a subject of nationalist discourse too.<br /><br />The same 1867 Act still legislates the world of gambling in independent India even though the Constitution gives powers to individual states to legislate all matters pertaining to gambling. Most Indian courts and legislation have been guided almost uniformly by the general tenor of the old law to “discourage people from indulging in games of chance and probability.” Currently only horse-racing, card game rummy (deemed a game of skill in 1968), lotteries conducted by a few state governments and casinos in Goa and Sikkim are permissible.<br /><br />Betting on the outcome of sports, other than racing, continues to be illegal except in Sikkim, which legalised betting on cricket, including the Indian Premier League, and other sports like football, tennis, golf and chess. <br /><br />Illegal gambling on the outcome of sports is a huge and flourishing market with some estimates showing cricket gambling generates $ 60 million annually. The number is rumoured to have crossed $ 200 million with the IPL and the World Cup. As there is a demand to legitimise gambling and earn tax revenues, there is little attention on pathological gambling (problem gambling), even though American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders (DSN-V) has proposed to put it under a new category of “addiction and related disorders.”<br /><br />“In India, the public discourse and government response is caught between two extremes: gambling as a vice to be suppressed by the legal and executive arms of the government, or as a popular taxable commodity, to be promoted and milked by the excise and finance arms of the government,” says Nimhans professor Vivek Benegal who authored the paper.<br /><br />The first stigmatises and criminalises an ubiquitous practice, driving underground economics, which services the demand. The other advocates a market approach to tap a potential source of revenue but underestimates the potential to harm a vulnerable proportion of population in a climate of unrestrained consumption.<br /><br />But a small study by Nimhans suggests the need for additional investigations into the prevalence, pattern and impacts of gambling. “It is time to take a new look at an old problem,” he sums up.</p>
<p>Though spot-fixing in the Indian Premiere League has shocked the nation, gambling is not something new in India. It is in vogue for the last 3500 years, but there has been barely any effort to scientifically document its impact on the society.<br /><br /></p>.<p>While studying the behaviour of alcoholics, researchers at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans), Bangalore, decided to focus the spotlight on gambling because of the links between two social evils. Their research – published recently in the journal Addiction – tells a fascinating story on how gambling flourished in various periods and how it continues to remain an underbelly of the society though its potential in tax collection was highlighted by Chankya in his Arthasashtra in 350 BC.<br /><br />Gambling was a widespread pastime in ancient India and it was Yudhisthir’s inability to resist the temptation that led to an epic war in the Mahabharata, 1500 BC. One of the earliest description of compulsive gambling is contained in the gambler’s lament from a hymn in the Rig Veda, which was composed anytime between 1700 and 1100 BC.<br /><br />The 11th century classical text Kathasarithsagar and ancient theatre Mricchakatika showed gambling was commonplace among the commoners. Besides dice games, betting on the outcome of chariot races and cock and ram fights were popular. The Arthasasthra prescription was organisation of gambling houses under gambling commissioners, who supplied and certified the dice and collected a fee of 5 per cent of the receipts.<br /><br />During the Islamic rule, gambling and drinking were officially proscribed as they were considered against the Islamic law (Sharia). Yet gambling remained ubiquitous and was popular in Mughal court as Babur introduced a type of gambling (known as ganjifa). Aurngzeb appointed muhtasaibs (censors of public morals) to suppress public passion for gambling and alcohol consumption without much lasting effect.<br /><br />Gambling continued in the colonial regime. Ritual gambling during festivals took place at Diwali and Janmastami. The practice continues even today.<br /><br />The number gambling (satta) became popular in the 18th century during which time Indian mercantile community put their bet on commodity figures. Speculation on the opium, gold, silver and cotton markets was an important business activity and so was the monthly figure gambling on the price of opium and cotton. The winning number was the average of five daily quotations. Rain gambling was introduced in Calcutta by the Marwari mercantile community who placed bets on the amount of rainfall within a “prahar” (three hours).<br /><br />Despicable professions<br /><br />These practices were viewed with alarm by both colonial officials and native elites, seeking to modernise the economy. The protection of women was used as a reason to outlaw barsat ka satta, as they claimed Marwari families, ruined by debt, forced female family members into “despicable professions”.<br /><br />Anti gambling legislation in British India was effective initially in three cities – Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. Later it was expanded to ban gambling within 10 miles of any railway station in districts. The Public Gaming Act, 1867 created a distinction between gaming (betting on a game of skill like horse racing where skill overrides the luck factor) and mere betting without gaming. The underlying aim was to make a distinction between satta, played by natives and legalised gambling on the racetracks, frequented by ruling elites. The distinction was a subject of nationalist discourse too.<br /><br />The same 1867 Act still legislates the world of gambling in independent India even though the Constitution gives powers to individual states to legislate all matters pertaining to gambling. Most Indian courts and legislation have been guided almost uniformly by the general tenor of the old law to “discourage people from indulging in games of chance and probability.” Currently only horse-racing, card game rummy (deemed a game of skill in 1968), lotteries conducted by a few state governments and casinos in Goa and Sikkim are permissible.<br /><br />Betting on the outcome of sports, other than racing, continues to be illegal except in Sikkim, which legalised betting on cricket, including the Indian Premier League, and other sports like football, tennis, golf and chess. <br /><br />Illegal gambling on the outcome of sports is a huge and flourishing market with some estimates showing cricket gambling generates $ 60 million annually. The number is rumoured to have crossed $ 200 million with the IPL and the World Cup. As there is a demand to legitimise gambling and earn tax revenues, there is little attention on pathological gambling (problem gambling), even though American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders (DSN-V) has proposed to put it under a new category of “addiction and related disorders.”<br /><br />“In India, the public discourse and government response is caught between two extremes: gambling as a vice to be suppressed by the legal and executive arms of the government, or as a popular taxable commodity, to be promoted and milked by the excise and finance arms of the government,” says Nimhans professor Vivek Benegal who authored the paper.<br /><br />The first stigmatises and criminalises an ubiquitous practice, driving underground economics, which services the demand. The other advocates a market approach to tap a potential source of revenue but underestimates the potential to harm a vulnerable proportion of population in a climate of unrestrained consumption.<br /><br />But a small study by Nimhans suggests the need for additional investigations into the prevalence, pattern and impacts of gambling. “It is time to take a new look at an old problem,” he sums up.</p>