Karnataka govt tables bill in assembly to ban online gambling
Bengaluru, Sep 17: The Karnataka government on Friday tabled a bill in the assembly to ban online gambling or betting in the state and providing for a maximum imprisonment of three years or fine of up to Rs one lakh for any violation.
The 'Karnataka Police (Amendment) Bill, 2021' was tabled in the assembly by Home Minister Araga Jnanendra.
The bill to amend the Karnataka Police Act of 1963 states "games means and includes online games, involving all forms of wagering or betting, including in the form of tokens valued in terms of the money paid before or after the issue of it, or electronic means and virtual currency, electronic transfer of funds in connection with any game of chance."
However, it does not include lottery or wagering or betting on horse races run on any race course within or outside the state.
The Bill, in its statement of objects and reasons, says that "it is considered to amend the 1963 Police Act to provide for enforcement of provisions of the Act, by making offences under certain sections as cognizable offence and non-bailable, except Section 87 (gaming in public streets), which is made cognizable and bailable.
It will include the use of cyberspace, including computer resources or any communication device as defined in Information Technology Act, 2000 in the process of gaming, to curb the menace of gaming through internet and mobile apps. It provides for enhancing punishment for gaming to wean citizens away from the vice of gambling, extending to three years and fine up to Rs one lakh. It said the punishment for the first offence would be six months imprisonment and fine of Rs 10,000, for the second, one year imprisonment and fine of Rs 15,000, and for the third offence, 18 months imprisonment and fine of Rs 20,000.
Persons aiding or abetting such online gaming would also be punished, it added.
There is no extra expenditure involved in the proposed legislative measure, it said. Instruments of gaming include any article intended to be used as a 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, the bill said.
Also, means of online gaming, any document, register or record or evidence of any gaming in electronic or digital form, the proceeds of any online gaming or any winning or prize in money or otherwise distributed or intended to be distributed in respect of any gaming, it added.
The state government had in July informed the High Court, hearing a petition seeking a ban on all forms of online betting and gambling, that it had drafted a Bill.
Last November, Tamil Nadu had promulgated an ordinance banning online gambling, and earlier this year, Kerala too had imposed a ban on online rummy games.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
