Allowing casinos in Maharashtra has many economic benefits: Jay Sayta

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Fadnavis government to respond to a public interest litigation (PIL) demanding the implementation of a decades-old Act to legalise casinos in Maharashtra. According to the petitioner Jay Sayta , a 22-year-old law student from Opera House in Mumbai, the Maharashtra Casinos (Control and Tax) Act was passed by the Legislative Assembly and published in the government gazette in July 1976; but has not been notified yet.
A final-year student with the National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata, Jay Sayta detailed to dna – in an email interview – the need for implementation of the Act, the revenue factor and apprehensions on whether it could lead to increase in crime.

Q: What makes you fight in favour of casinos?
A: The Maharashtra Casinos (Control and Tax) Act, 1976 is a landmark and balanced piece of legislation. The gambling market in India is estimated to be worth US$60 billion as per a KPMG report and a large chunk of illegal gambling is said to be happening in Maharashtra. The government will earn tremendous amounts of revenue by way of taxation if gaming is legalised and this will to a large extent solve the fiscal crisis the state is facing.

Q: But are casinos an acceptable form of recreation?
A: Legalising betting can help curb cheating or fixing in sport as suspicious betting patterns can be monitored and stopped. Also, why should citizens be penalised for an activity which the legislative assembly considers an acceptable form of recreation and an 'inevitable vice'?

Q: Will casinos help in any other manner.?
A: Casinos will provide employment to a large number of people. Additionally, it will reduce the burden on the police force, which still use the archaic Maharashtra Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887 to harass alleged offenders. Setting up of casinos will bring down circulation of black money and reduce source of income of the underworld and other criminal networks. Thus, the indirect funding of anti-national and terror activities will also come down to an extent.

Q: But, don't you think it will abet general crime, especially those against women.?
A: There is no correlation between allowing casinos and general crime. If gambling is regulated with proper checks, provision for preventing addiction and a regulatory body for monitoring gaming activities, there will be no impact on law and order. UK is a good model where an independent regulatory body, Gambling Commission monitors and regulates all online and offline gaming activities.

Q: Will it help reduce illegal gambling?
A. Definitely, enforcing the casinos Act will reduce illegal gambling. People would prefer to wager legitimately by paying taxes rather than clandestinely playing illegally and risk chance of harassment by cops.

Q: Have you researched on any other acts which the state has not yet implemented?
A. I haven't come across any other legislation in Maharashtra which has not been implemented for almost four decades.

Q: Are you personally interested in getting associated with casinos in any form?
A. I am not desirous of getting involved. There are many Indian and global gaming companies of repute. The state government should issue licences through a fair and transparent process to such gaming companies.

Q: What is the current status of the proposed Act?
A. The Act has been assented by the Governor and is published in the official gazette. Copies of the Act are freely accessible in government stores/websites or even the High Court website for that matter. Only an official notification under Section 1(3) of the Act indicating its implementation date and framing of rules/taxation rates and license terms and conditions has been kept pending for the past 38 years.