Good Morning. India’s Telangana state government banned all gambling five years ago, whether skill-based or not, in response to incidences of economic harm and gambling addiction. However, it’s now having a rethink. As the industry booms in the country, the state has realized that online gambling could be a source of taxation and jobs, and the ban has not been effective in stopping locals from tapping into offshore sites. Speaking at a recent AIGF forum, Telangana Principal Secretary for IT, electronics, and communications, Jayesh Ranjan, said he has draft regulation and he’s waiting for the opportune moment to introduce it to the cabinet.
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AGB Intelligence
DEEP DIVE
Telangana rethinking online gambling ban, has draft legislation
The state of Telangana may be having a change of heart on its decision to ban all forms of gambling, marking another key step towards regulating the already booming Indian market. Telangana, the twelfth most populous state in the country with about 35 million inhabitants, put a blanket ban on all gambling in 2017 following reports of gambling addiction leading to suicides and bankrupting families. Five years on, Telegana has recognized that the blanket ban may not be effective, with players increasingly being targeted by illegal offshore sites over which the government has no control. It is also missing out on potential revenue from taxation.
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