India: Maharashtra government scraps casino act

The Act could never be implemented because of strong opposition to casinos from various quarters. Fearing backlash, successive governments never attempted it in the last four decades.

The decision to scrap the law was taken at the weekly Cabinet meeting presided over by CM Eknath Shinde in Mumbai. CM Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers - Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the Home, Law and Judiciary portfolios and Ajit Pawar, who heads the Finance and Planning Ministry, were against it.

The Maharashtra Casinos (Control and Taxes) ordinance was passed in 1976 but was never implemented. However, several attempts were made to seek permission for casinos under this ordinance, and periodically the tourism sector lobbied hard to allow gambling in the state. Some even approached courts in this regard. 

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has always been against the ordinance and directed the administration to repeal it in 2016 when high-level deliberations began on it. The issue lingered and came up again for discussion in 2023 when Fadnavis again gave a negative remark and accordingly the cabinet on Friday took a firm stand against casinos in the state and gave a nod to repeal the ordinance. 

Going ahead, a bill will be prepared to repeal the ordinance to be tabled in the winter session of the state legislature, a senior CMO official said.

In Maharashtra, horse racing and lotteries are legal but betting activities are controlled under the outdated Prevention of Gambling Act 1887, which prohibits organising and running a gaming house. If found violating the law, the punishment of one to six months in jail and a nominal cash penalty of Rs200. However, illegal gambling activities like matka are conducted discreetly and sometimes indiscreetly across the state.