Bill Tabled In Karnataka Assembly To Ban Online Gambling And Betting

The State Government on Friday, (September 17), tabled in the State Legislative Assembly a bill to amend the Karnataka Police Act 1963, whereby it aims to ban online gambling and betting, and provide maximum imprisonment of three years and penalty upto Rs 1 lakh for violation of the provisions. The bill titled Karnataka Police (Amendment) Act, 2021, includes all forms of wagering or betting, including in the form of tokens valued in terms of money paid before or after the issue of it. It has banned electronic means and virtual currency, electronic transfer of funds in connection with any game of 'chance'. However, there is no ban on lottery, or betting on horse races on any racecourse within or outside Karnataka. The statement of objects and reasons in the bill states: "It is considered necessary further to amend the Karnataka Police Act, 1961 Karnataka Act 4 of 1964, to provide for effective enforcement of the provisions of this Act by making offences under Chapter VII and under section 90, 98, 108, 113,114 and 123, as cognizable offence and non-bailable except section 87, which is made cognizable and bailable." Further, "Include the use of cyberspace including computer resources or any communication device as defined in the Information Technology Act, 2000 in the process of gaming, to curb the menace of gaming through internet, mobile app, to enhance the punishment for gaming for the orderly conduct of citizens and to wean them away from the vice of gambling." The Bill seeks to amend section 2 (3) of the Principal Act by inserting the following: (a) after the words "Profit or gain" occurring in two places the words "or otherwise" shall be inserted. In clause (7): (i) for the words "gaming" does not include a lottery but includes all forms of wagering or betting in connection with any game of chance except wagering or betting on a horse-race run on any racecourse within or outside the State, when such wagering or betting takes place the words gaming means and includes online games, involving all forms of wagering or betting, including in the form of tokens valued in terms of money paid before or after issue of it, or electronic means and virtual currency, electronic transfer of funds in connection with any game of chance, but does not include a lottery or wagering or betting on horse-race run on any race course within or outside the State, when such wagering or betting takes place shall be substituted. Further, in the explanation to item (i) the following shall be inserted at the end: Any act of risking money, or otherwise on the unknown result of an event including on a game of skill and any action specified above carried out directly, or indirectly by the players playing any game or by any third parties. Also, Clause 11 of the Principal Act, is to be substituted by stating: "Instruments of gaming includes any article used or intended to be used as a subject or means of gaming including computers, computer system, mobile app, or internet or cyberspace, virtual platform, computer network, computer resource, any communication device, electronic applications, software and accessory or means of any online gaming, any document, register or record or evidence of gaming in electronic or digital form, the proceeds of any online gaming or any winning or prizes in money or otherwise distributed or intended to be distributed in respect of any gaming". Explanation: The words computer, communication device', computer network computer resource, computer system, cyber cafe' and electronic record used in this Act shall have the respective meaning assigned to them in the Information Technology Act, 2000 (Central Act 21 of 2000)". Further amendments are proposed to clause (12) by interesting the following. Clause (12A): 'Online gaming' means and includes games as defined in clause (7) played online by means of instruments of gaming computer, computer resource, computer network, computer system or by mobile app or internet or any communication device, electronic application, software or on any virtual platform. In clause (13) the following shall be inserted at the end, namely, Including a recreation club or on a virtual platform, mobile app or internet or any communication device, electronic application, software, online gaming and computer resource as defined in Information Technology Act, 2000/Central Act 21 of 2000 or under this Act. The bill also proposes to amend section 78 of the Principal Act. In sub-section (1) in clause (a) ,"enclosure, vehicle, vessel or place the words and figures or at cyber cafe or online gaming involving wagering or betting including computer resource or mobile application or internet or any communication device as defined in the information Technology Act, 2000 (Central Act 21 of 2000) shall be inserted." In clause (vi) after the words depends on chance or the words...

Bill Tabled In Karnataka Assembly To Ban Online Gambling And Betting

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There is no ban on lottery, or betting on horse races on any racecourse within or outside Karnataka in the Bill.

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