The Bihar Gambling (Prohibition) Act, 2026
The Bihar Gambling (Prohibition) Act, 2026
Criminal202622 sections3 chapters
The Bihar Gambling (Prohibition) Act, 2026, prohibits all forms of gambling, including physical and online wagering, within the State of Bihar. It defines gambling broadly to include betting on games of chance, stock market variations, and natural events. The Act empowers police to enter premises, arrest individuals without warrants, and seize assets, including digital devices and bank accounts used for gambling. It imposes strict penalties, including imprisonment and fines, on participants, operators, and those who facilitate or advertise gambling. The law applies to all persons and companies operating within Bihar, replacing the older Public Gambling Act, 1867.
Chapter I PRELIMINARY →
Chapter II OFFENCES AND PUNISHMENTS →
- 3Gambling in public places
- 4Keeping, managing or financing a common gambling house
- 5Persons found gambling in a common gambling house
- 6Online gambling
- 7Use of bank accounts, wallets or digital instruments for gambling
- 8Refusal to disclose identity
- 9Offences by companies
- 10Printing, publication and dissemination of gambling information
- 11Prohibition of advertisement of gambling
- 12Penalty for advertisement
Chapter III MISCELLANEOUS →
- 13Powers of entry, search, seizure and freezing of accounts
- 14Presumption as to instruments of gambling
- 15Destruction and forfeiture of instruments and proceeds of gambling
- 16Provided that the Magistrate may, in his discretion, order that any part of such property be returned to the persons appearing to him to be entitled thereto.
- 17Act to be in addition to and to have overriding effect
- 18Protection of action taken in good faith
- 19Power to make rules
- 20Power to remove difficulties
- 21Repeal and savings
PDF: pending for this language.