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The 1976 act was never implemented because of strong opposition to it, lack of clarity about its provisions, and absence of rules pertaining to operating casinos.

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The state government’s decision to scrap the law comes despite a rising demand from tourism bodies and business houses for permission to operate casinos at Maharashtra’s tourism hubs .

“The Act has specified the definition, restrictions, penalty, age of entry at casinos, (however) further details were not framed through the rules. The objections and criticism...may have delayed the compliance that needed to be followed,” said an official from the home department who asked not to be named.

The official said that the decision to scrap the existing law was taken to end the ambiguity over the government’s stand on it.

“The permission to operate casinos had come up for discussion time and again and the government would drag its feet fearing a backlash. The finance and tourism departments had proposed permissions (be given) to (open) casinos as a source of income a few years ago. There are at least four such proposals pending with the tourism department (put up) by various operators citing the provisions in the Act. By deciding to scrap the Act, the Eknath Shinde government has clarified its stand and put a full stop on the possibilities of permissions to the casino,” the official said.

Also Read: Lok Sabha passes GST Bills to levy 28% tax on e-gaming, casinos

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s labour wing had also written a letter to chief minister Eknath Shinde last month, demanding that casinos be allowed in the state.

A second home department official, who also asked not to be named, said that operators interested in opening casinos in Mumbai were moving courts to be citing the provisions in the Act.

“The scrapping will leave no room for any such litigation,” he said.

Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief minister and home minister, had said during the recently held monsoon session of the state assembly that the government would not allow casinos to operate in the state at any cost.

“State government is against any such activity and no permission would be given to (open) casinos. The bill will be brought to scrap the existing Act,” Fadnavis said in the last week of July.

The state government had announced plans to scrap the eight-page Act but it was not tabled in the session that ended on August 4, 2023.

• ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  

  Surendra P Gangan

  Surendra P Gangan is Senior Assistant Editor with political bureau of Hindustan Times’ Mumbai Edition. He covers state politics and Maharashtra government’s administrative stories. Reports on the developments in finances, agriculture, social sectors among others. ...view detail