Pros And Cons Of Legalising Gambling In India

1. Pros And Cons Of Legalising Gambling In India Today
2. Pros And Cons Of Legalising Gambling In India Government

Gambling is a principle inherent in human nature. [i]It is ever-present in our Indian society. Whether it is betting on horse races or animal fights on streets, people see it as a legitimate form of recreation. Despite betting on sports events like cricket matches is illegal in India, people tend to engage in betting on them and end up losing a lot of money. People get inveigled in the vicious cycle of gambling as they fail to understand when they should quit.

Gambling has been one of the more popular pastimes around over the years. But the pros and cons of gambling are all points that have to be explored. This may be fun for a variety of purposes but it could also be extremely dangerous if you are not cautious. Pros, Cons Of Legalizing Sports Betting Fast Versus Taking It Slow. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of Law Commission of India’s recommendation to legalise betting in sports. Rohan Pathak Published: 07 Jul 2018, 10:15 AM IST.

Gambling or Betting may sound like an evil trap, but it is not, if the players know how to play it patiently, and smartly. Society’s perspective towards gambling have swingeingly changed, in the last century, but the Indian laws have failed to emulate with them. In India, betting on horse races or lottery is legal, but the question that arises in our mind is that, should betting on all sports events of our country be legalised?
This article would talk about, whether gambling should be legalised in India or not and what rules and regulations authorities need to formulate to regulate the activity of gambling, if legalised.

Understanding The Concept Of Gambling

Gambling is taking part in a game or sports activities where the player risks something of monetary value, or money to win money or a prize. In gambling or betting the outcome of the game is uncertain and is down to chances. Gambling, in itself, is a wide term and there are many forms of it, like, lotteries, card games like poker, casinos, betting on sports events like a horse race or cricket etc., bingo and many more. Sometimes the gamblers are required to participate in the game while betting on it like in casinos or card games and sometimes, he/she may be restrained from any kind of active participation in the event in which he has a stake, like in horse races etc.

Why Legalise Gambling?

The reasons for legalising gambling are manifold. Since the Indian gambling market is very big and it is nearly impossible to root it out. Despite the fact that, it is an illegal activity, the authorities are unable to stop its operation. So, when you cannot outsmart your enemy, the best thing to do is to befriend it for your benefit. Legalising gambling will not only help in breaking off sources of black money but it will also generate a good amount of revenue for the state exchequer.
The unaccounted money earned from gambling activities is managed by the criminal syndicates which are spent on nefarious activities like terror financing. Legalising gambling will not only put a halt on it but also the money generated from betting and gambling can be used by the authorities for various constructive social schemes. According to the 2010 KPMG report, the estimated size of the Indian gambling market is more than 60 Billion USD. The legalisation of gambling activities will also lead to higher tax revenue.
In a country like India where millions of people are unemployed, a legal and effectively regulated gambling sector will generate large-scale employment opportunities. According to a 2017 report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 120,000 people were employed by the private gambling sector.[ii] In the U.K., more than 1 Lakh people were employed in the gambling sector. In sports events like cricket, people tend to bet on it and the majority of time players go for fixing the matches, even though betting on it is illegal in India. If betting gets a legal permit, then there will be more transparency in such activities and it will also curb fixing of the matches as it will create a sense of fear of getting caught among the players and bookies.

Naysayers’ Viewpoint

Naysayers suggest that Gambling is morally wrong and is not ethically correct in the Indian context. They say that it is one of the reasons responsible for bankruptcy, addiction, loss of livelihood, divorce, crime. There are instances of people incurring huge losses in the game eventually leading to suicides.
Legalised gambling hurt and destroys those who are poor and disadvantaged people of the society. If gambling were illegal, then it would be difficult for the gambling industries to openly promote their casinos, lotteries, or any other gambling activities and exploit these people. Since gambling is portrayed as something clean and a way to earn money quickly, it attracts young people, who eventually become gambling addicts. Gambling addiction also leads to crimes and mental illness to people who fall prey to this trap.
Legalised gambling might also lead to fraud and corruption. Gambling is a fast-growing industry in the world and if legalised it has an impact on the government. The government is majorly addicted to revenue earnings from this kind of industry and state-run lotteries. There is recently a numerous case of fraud and corruption in state-run lotteries across the world, so in India where corruption is like an inevitable part of the administration, it would have a great impact and would eventually add on to the existing evils of corruption.

What Steps Government Should Take If Gambling Is To Be Legalised?

The debate over the legalisation of gambling in India traces its root back to the age of mythology and epics. Indian lawmakers now have decided to not legalize gambling except some parts of the country. But now the winds of change seem to be gathering momentum, as there are possibilities of legalisation of gambling and betting in India.
The 276th report of the law commission talked about the possibility of legalising gambling in the whole country with some rules and regulations. But the legalisation of gambling in a country like India is not an easy task. The government has to make certain provisions, amendments, and enact some rules and regulations before making any move ahead.
Some of the steps that the government might take are:

• Firstly, there would be a need to make an amendment in the constitution regarding gambling as it is under the purview of the state list. So, it should firstly, be put under concurrent lists so that the parliament can legislate on the subject without facing any hindrances.
  
• Secondly, to protect the interest of people and to prevent any harm, the government should restrict the number of transactions that can be made in a specified period, and also there should be a check upon the stakes involved by linking the accounts with either PAN/AADHAAR card.
  
• Thirdly, to prevent financial burdens on the states who wish to permit casinos and other gambling activities, the government should allow FDI in this sector. So, that investments can be made in the respective states for the infrastructure etc. and this will also lead to growth in tourism and the states would be able to generate more employment and revenues.
  
• Necessary infrastructure like police machinery and prosecutors or grievance redressal mechanisms should be set up at both state and national levels by the government to ensure that the rules and regulations are perfectly implemented and also to ensure that the perpetrators are punished.

Conclusion
In the recent past, the law commission has overwhelmingly supported the legalisation of gambling in India. The arguments which were put forward were like, the inability of the government to curb such a large scale illegally operated gambling industry, government losing the opportunity for earning high revenues, and employment generation.
So, they concluded that the only way to solve this problem is to legalise gambling. Though the arguments were worth thinking about, but there is no guarantee that legalising gambling would be as beneficial as projected. Legalising gambling activities would not only demand a higher legal framework for regulating betting activities but also for other nefarious activities like drugs, prostitutes, etc. So, the concerned authorities should thoroughly go through the pros and cons of legalising gambling sector because there decision will have a great impact on the society.
End-Notes:

1. Edmund Burke.' AZQuotes.com. Wind and Fly LTD on the Internet at https://www.azquotes.com/quote/842529 (last accessed on June 03, 2020)
2. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Over 10,000 employed in private gambling industries in California and Indiana in 2017 on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2018/over-10000-employed-in-private-gambling-industries-in-california-and-indiana-in-2017.htm (last accessed on June 03, 2020)

Gambling has been one of the more popular pastimes around over the years. But the pros and cons of gambling are all points that have to be explored. This may be fun for a variety of purposes but it could also be extremely dangerous if you are not cautious.

Of course, all people have their own attitudes over how useful or dangerous this particular activity can be. It is essential to look at some of the pros and cons that come with gambling to understand what the activity is like and if it is worthwhile in any case.

It is difficult when looking at the pros and cons of gambling to see if there is definite answer in terms of whether it is appropriate or if it is too dangerous. One point for certain is that it is a necessity to look carefully at how well such an activity can take place as it could potentially be risky depending on what one is getting into.

What Pros Come About?

It is clear to society over how people out there are into games of chance. But what makes them so interested in it? Here are a few of the key pros which come with such an activity:

• People often participate because they know they could potentially win money. This is something that can be said for all casino games but it is still something worth looking at as there is always a good chance for anyone to win something huge.
• Gambling is also very fun and enjoyable. It can be exciting and thrilling, especially since this is an activity where not everyone can get access to some of these things every day. The thrill and challenge of a game and the appeal of it all is always something to notice.
• It is very easy to get started in playing a game. The rules for number activities you’d find at a casino are not too complicated or tough to figure out. people can always learn more about the ins and outs of various games if they prefer but it’s just an option to consider in terms of what people could do with a certain game.
• There are also various types of activities for people to get into. Some might stick with the more traditional slot machines but even those are extremely varied for what those machines offer. Table choices are also noteworthy for having numerous special rules and other features. There are also virtual options which offer some interesting points that make such games all the more entertaining.

There is always something for anyone to look forward to when it comes to gaming. There is practically and endless amount of options to look forward to, thus making it a great hobby which many can enjoy participating in on occasion.

What About the Problems?

The disadvantages were much more significant

Although gambling indeed has its own positives, there are plenty of negatives which have to be explored just as well. Such negatives are indeed significant and can be very troubling to a number of people. This especially comes from how dangerous it could be if someone is not overly careful.

Here are a few of the cons to look at:

• There is a good potential for anyone to lose money at such games. Although there is a chance to win, the odds are generally not in the player’s favor. The thing about something such as this comes from how people have more ways for them to lose in many of these games than what it is to win. This is especially the case with video slots and video poker (guide on this link) where the programming is organized randomly enough to where it is impossible to try and adjust what happens in one’s favor.
• While there is always the chance for anyone to win, it is practically impossible for anyone to actually win constantly or on a regular basis. Virtual games only pay out a certain number of times. Also, table-based choices are made with so many luck-based factors in mind to how it would be rather hard to actually figure out a way to keep on winning at such games.
• Not all people approve of gambling. This is especially in many parts of the world where it is illegal or where people have passed various laws to try and keep its influence from spreading far too quickly.
• Sometimes the potential for personal issues come along. Such worries might keep people from being able to enjoy games. These problems often occur over how people could start to feel uncomfortable with others who like to play quite often. They might have negative impressions of some of these people.
• There’s also the threat of gambling being an addictive activity. Once some people start playing, they start to become so obsessed with it to the general point where they can’t think about living without that stuff. It really makes it harder for some to function because their thoughts will be preoccupied in some of the worst cases.

These are all significant problems that make the pros and cons of gambling so difficult to figure out. It might seem like a very fun thing to do but there’s always going to be concerns over what goes on here and how someone could get into real trouble.

How to Make a Decision Between the Pros and Cons of Gambling

Pros And Cons Of Legalising Gambling In India Today

You will have to look carefully when it comes to getting into gambling. The positive and negative aspects of the pastime are certainly essential to think about but you should at least look at what may come about as you are trying to get into such an activity as this.

The thing is that it is your own choice to make with regards to whether or not it is such a good thing for you to get into. You’ve got to watch for what you might handle and if the activity is something that you know isn’t going to be problematic to you.

It is even more essential to look at how you much of a sense of realism you have as there’s clearly no real way how you could guarantee actually winning something huge out of a game. While you might read a number of stories out in society about what makes this such a fun thing to do while also hearing about people winning, that doesn’t mean it is always going to be profitable. After all, there’s a reason why every news story about massive lottery jackpots is always punctuated by information on the odds of actually winning hundreds of millions of dollars through some huge draw.

You will have to look at the pros and cons that you have read about but it helps to look into many other additional points that deserve to be explored just as well. Here are a few additional points that have to be explored when you are making a proper decision:

• You should think about whether or not you are okay with risking money in some way. There is always a good chance that you are going to lose that money as the odds of you losing are clearly better than those of you actually winning something.
• You must also think about how you would feel when playing. Some people actually feel pretty miserable as they are playing. They just feel as though it is a chore and will get overly upset when they lose. This is clearly not something to get into if you are worried about possibly losing something and therefore getting upset about it in the process.
• Consider the spare money that you have. You clearly should not be spending any money for regular expenses on gambling activities. You should only be spending what you know you could actually lose in some game so you don’t put your own livelihood at risk of being harmed in some way.
• Look at what your friends and family would think about you as you play such a game. Not all people in your family are willing to approve of what you are doing. Some might frown upon your activity as being antisocial or against proper social norms. All people have their own individual attitudes but it is still smart to look at how this might work.
• You must also look at your discipline. You cannot afford to go around and gamble if you aren’t disciplined enough to be careful and aware of what you are doing when playing. You have to watch out for what you will be doing when playing so you don’t get into more trouble than what you would potentially be able to afford.

Pros And Cons Of Legalising Gambling In India Government

Remember to think about how gaming may be dangerous if you are not careful enough. You could lose lots of money and be frowned upon in some cases. If you do feel mentally ready to play and know how to manage yourself the right way then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy a good game or two here and there. But do at least look at what you are putting yourself into when enjoying a game and be fully aware of what you will be doing in any situation so you don’t get in trouble.