Tamil Nadu CM Stalin moves Bill to ban online gambling; check details
On March 6, the Governor returned Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill 2022. The note shared with the Bill reportedly said that the state Assembly does not have legislative competence.
FollowTamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday (March 23) readopted the Bill to ban online gambling games. The Bill will now be sent to Governor RN Ravi for his assent.
Addressing the Assembly, CM Stalin said, "The Online Gambling Prohibition Bill was passed in the Legislative Assembly on October 19, 2022 and was sent for the Governor's assent on October 26, 2022. On November 23, 2022, the Governor sought clarification and later the clarification was given. However after 131 days it was returned on March 6, 2023, seeking clarification."
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"This bill will be again sent to the governor. We may have political differences but lives are involved in online gambling. State Government has the right to take care of people. Union Minister Anurag Thakur himself has told Parliament that the state government has the right to bring a law against online gambling in response to a question asked by DMK MP SR Parthiban," the chief minister said.
On March 6, the Governor returned Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill 2022. The note shared with the Bill reportedly said that the state Assembly does not have legislative competence.
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After the Bill was sent back, top political parties expressed their opposition to the Governor's action. On March 9, the state cabinet once again met and decided to resend the readopted bill for the assent of the Governor.
According to news agency PTI, Tamil Nadu Law Minister Regupathy said that the Governor was duty-bound to give his assent once the Bill was readopted in the Assembly. The Bill was necessitated since Madras High Court struck down the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Gaming and Police Laws (Amendment) Act 2021.
According to various reports, till now, over 47 suicides have been reported in the state due to the losses faced during online gambling games.
