The Puducherry Gaming Act, 1965
The Puducherry Gaming Act, 1965
The Puducherry Gaming Act, 1965, regulates gambling and betting activities within the Union territory of Puducherry. It applies to everyone in the territory, including those who run illegal gaming houses, participate in public gambling, or publish information promoting gaming. The legislation matters because it establishes strict penalties, including fines and imprisonment, to curb commercial betting and maintain public order. It empowers law enforcement to search premises and arrest offenders without warrants, while crucially exempting lottery activities and games of pure skill. Ultimately, this law protects the public from illegal gambling rackets while legally distinguishing chance-based betting from skill-based gaming.
- 0. Preamble
- 1. Short title, extent and commencement.
- 2. Definitions.
- 3. Penalty for opening etc., of any house etc., for certain forms of gaming.
- 4. Power to grant warrant to enter a common gaming-house.
- 5. Cards, dice, etc., found in search under last section to be evidence that
- 6. Proof of playing for stakes unnecessary.
- 7. Penalty for opening etc., a common gaming –house.
- 8. Penalty for being found gaming in a common gaming-house.
- 9. Instruments of gaming may be ordered to be destroyed on conviction.
- 10. Saving of games of skill.
- 11. Payment of portion of fine to informants and Police Officers.
- 12. Penalty for gaming in public street etc.,
- 13. Assembling in streets for gaming.
- 14. Printing, publishing or distributing any news or information.
- 15. Police may arrest without warrant in view of offence.
- 16. Repeal.
PDF: pending for this language.