Uttarakhand to get new anti-gambling law with jail up to 5 years

The Uttarakhand government has greenlit the Public Gambling Prevention Bill, 2026, to curb gambling. The new law, replacing the 1867 Act, introduces severe penalties including jail time up to 5 years and fines up to Rs 10 lakh for offenders.

The Government of Uttarakhand will now take strict legal action against people involved in gambling at public places and those running gambling dens in the state, following the cabinet's approval of the Uttarakhand Public Gambling Prevention Bill, 2026. Under the proposed legislation, any individual found guilty of gambling or facilitating gambling activities may face imprisonment ranging from a minimum of three months to a maximum of five years, along with fines ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10 lakh.

The bill, approved by the state cabinet on Friday, will now be presented in the upcoming session of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly as the Uttarakhand Public Gambling Prevention Bill, 2026. At present, the state follows the Public Gambling Act of 1867, enacted by the Central Government, which provides only minor penalties for gambling in public places and for operating gambling houses. However, once the new Public Gambling Prevention law comes into force, stricter action will be taken against gambling and betting activities in the state.

Proposed Penalties Under New Bill

According to the provisions of the proposed law, gambling in public places such as streets or lanes may lead to simple imprisonment of up to three months, a fine of Rs 5,000, or both. Organising gambling inside a house can result in up to two years of imprisonment or a fine of Rs 10,000. Running a gambling den may lead to up to five years of imprisonment, a fine of Rs 1 lakh or both. Additionally, operating gambling or betting activities in an organised or syndicate-like manner may lead to imprisonment ranging from three to five years and a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh.

The bill aims to replace the outdated colonial-era legislation with stricter provisions to effectively curb gambling activities in the state. The new legislation is expected to act as a strong deterrent against public gambling and organised betting operations in Uttarakhand.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)