The HYC has asked Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to immediately repeal the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021 and Meghalaya Regulation for Gaming Rules, 2021.
In a letter to Sangma today, the HYC also demanded immediate removal of the Chairman and other members of Meghalaya Gaming Commission and also to stop wasting of public money by giving them salary.
The organisation also demanded that a public notice should be issued by the government regarding scrapping of the three temporary licenses issued for running of casinos in the State.
The HYC also stated that the claim by the chief minister that locals are not allowed in casinos and online gambling premises is nothing but “an attempt to save face and save the government from public ire”.
According to the HYC, the Meghalaya Regulation for Gaming Rules, 2021 provides that a “player” means a person participating in games of skill or games of chance being conducted by a licensee through a website or through physical premises.
“The Rules only stipulates a responsibility on a licensee to ensure that the player is above 18 years of age and speaks of nothing when it comes to participation of local youths or residents of the State in online gaming or betting,” the HYC said.
Stating that the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act and Meghalaya Regulation for Gaming Rules, are unclear about the participation of locals in casinos and online gaming, the HYC asked, “Will the so-called ‘high worth tourists’ from other states of India or abroad comes to take part or will the locals be taking part in these activities? The Act and the Rules are unclear about this aspect but we all know that only locals will be taking part in these activities. How come then your government is stating that locals are not allowed to enter the physical premises for any gambling activities?”
The HYC also said that it disagreed with the chief minister’s statement that legalising gambling will increase the revenue generated by the State by Rs 500-600 crores annually.
“We are of the opinion that if the State government can check the revenue leakages as has been repeatedly pointed out and flagged by the CAG reports every year, the State government can easily save around Rs 1500-2000 crores annually,” it added.
