Online Gambling: Need for Regulation in India

Abstract

Gambling has always been considered as a curse in Indian culture and history. The examples for same are innumerable of which most prominent ones include the Mahabharata wherein it deprecates gambling by depicting woeful conditions of Pandavas who had gambled away their kingdom. Manu in fact forbade gambling altogether. Moreover, before intervention of legislation gambling and wagering were not prohibited by English law however English courts always looked upon it with disfavor and discouraged it on the grounds of public policy1. Thereafter, on account of increased activity and indulgence in gambling certain countries sought it fit to regulate gambling instead of prohibiting it completely as it provided a source of revenue for Government and also ensured legislations overlook on the gambling by the people. When it comes to India, primarily gambling in India is a state subject under Entry 34 of List II of Seventh Schedule of Indian Constitution.