The trigger behind the decision to scrap the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021, “in the best interest of the state” was a backlash from the ground.
Passed last year to essentially set up licensed casinos and gaming parlours and regulate gambling, the legislation ran into widespread opposition and protests by NGOs, civil society organisations and Church bodies over its ill-effects.
Announcing the decision to drop the law through a series of tweets on Thursday, Meghalaya taxation minister James K. Sangma said it would be in the “best interest of our State to completely scrap the Act”.
Sangma said the legislation was introduced under his guidance to “legalise and regulate” gaming with the aim of “boosting” revenue, tourism and employment. Introducing casinos — meant for tourists only — was considered too, he said.
The Opposition was largely against allowing casinos over fears that locals could get hooked to the culture.
The minister admitted there were “concerns from parts of the society about the scope and impact” of the Act over the months and he “tried to understand” the concerns of the public and the impact the Act could have.
“Following meetings with stakeholders, it became clear to me it is in the best interest of our State to completely scrap the Act. Therefore, it will be my earnest endeavour to see that the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021, will be repealed,” the minister tweeted.
The gaming act was notified in March 2021 to regulate “games of skills” and “games of chance”, with the objective of checking illegal betting and wagering.
Games of skill involve “preponderance of skill over chance”. These games are card-based, virtual sports or quiz based. These include bridge, poker, rummy, bingo and solitaire.
Games of chance, on the other hand, refer to games where luck plays an important part. These games include roulette, three-card game, baccarat, slots and flush, which are all found in a casino.
The Act allows placing of bets and wagers only at a physical premise/websites with licence granted under the provisions of the Act.
A Shillong resident familiar with the Act said the legislation was brought in “essentially” to allow the setting up of casinos in the state with the objective of boosting tourism and revenue.
“Now casinos will not come because of wisdespread opposition. Brakes have been put on the government push to allow operation of casinos,” he said.
The seven-party coalition government in Meghalaya is led by the National People’s Party (NPP) and has the BJP as one of its constituents. The ties between the NPP and state BJP are strained.
The state goes to the polls next year and Thursday’s announcement shows the government would not take a chance by standing firm on its stand vis-a-vis the gaming Act.
The decision assumes significance because chief minister Conrad K. Sangma had in September asserted in the state Assembly that the legislation would not be scrapped because it was important to regulate existing gaming parlours.
Chief minister Sangma had also said the government planned the gaming zone in areas close to Guwahati to keep the locals away from playing. He said the government would mop up shortfall in revenue generation of around Rs 600 crore through the Act.
The state Assembly had on September 12 rejected through voice vote a bill introduced by Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) MLA Adelbert Nongrum, seeking the repeal of the Act and ensure that the Meghalaya Prevention of Gambling Act, 1970 was not diluted.
He had opposed the gaming Act because of growing objection to the operation of casinos and legalised forms of gaming from Church bodies, social organisations, traditional institutions and pressure groups. KHNAM is part of the coalition government.
The Opposition started mounting pressure in September after the government announced in the Assembly the granting of temporary licences to three parties in March to operate casinos but the move was stopped following talks with Church leaders and influential organisations.
Though the government said the licences would expire after six months, the groups remained firm on getting the legislation scrapped.
Among those opposed to the law included the influential Hynniewtrep Youth Council and Church groups as they were against activities such as gambling and casinos.
Christians make up for 70 per cent of the Meghalaya population of around 30 lakh
people.
The Khasi Jaintia Christian Leaders Forum (KJCLF), a church body, had opposed the move to legalise casinos and online gaming “because it was immoral and comes at a high price for the society”.
On October 4, the KJCLF held a special prayer meeting in capital Shillong where concerns were raised over the government not repealing the Act, which could lead to a rise in crime and drug abuse.
The Meghalaya Trinamul unit, which is the principal Opposition party in the Assembly, took to Twitter to describe the decision as people’s victory.
The party tweeted: “After several protests and stiff opposition, the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021 is set to be repealed. It was MDA’s agenda vs people’s sentiments. And, the people won. This monumental victory motivates us to keep striving for their welfare!”