The Meghalaya Prevention of Gambling Act, 1970
The Meghalaya Prevention of Gambling Act, 1970
The Meghalaya Prevention of Gambling Act, 1970, regulates and prohibits games of chance and betting within the whole state. It applies to operators of gaming houses, active participants, public gamblers, and those publishing gaming information. This law is important because it addresses the social risks of unregulated gambling by empowering police to raid properties, seize betting tools, and arrest offenders without a warrant in public areas. It imposes strict penalties, including fines and jail time, while carefully exempting games based solely on skill and licensed horse racing to protect lawful entertainment and prevent the arbitrary prosecution of otherwise innocent citizens.
- 1. Short title, and commencement.
- 2. Definitions.
- 3. Penalty for owning, keeping or having charge of a common gaming house.
- 4. Penalty for assisting gambling.
- 5. Penalty for being found in common gaming house.
- 6. Power of Police Officer to enter and search.
- 7. Finding instruments of gaming in suspected houses to be evidence that they are common gaming houses.
- 8. Penalty for giving for stakes unnecessary
- 9. Destruction of instruments of gaming and payment of reward to informers.
- 10. Proof for playing for stakes unnecessary.
- 11. Gaming in public places.
- 12. Power of Police Officer to enter premises and arrest persons, printing, etc., matters relating to gambling.
- 13. Exemptions
- 14. Indemnity of witnesses.
- 15. Penalty for subsequent offence.
- 15A. Offences under sections 3 and 4 non bailable
- 16. Searches how to be made.
- 17. Protection of action taken
- 18. Recovery of fines.
- 19. Power to make rules.
- 20. Repeal of the Public Gambling Act, 1967 (Central Act 3 of 1867).
- 21. Amendment of Assam Amusements and Betting Tax Act, 1980 (Assam Act 6 of 1939).
PDF: pending for this language.