SHILLONG: Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong informed that the state government is never in favour to repeal the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021 but it's positive to put a stop to setting up casinos in the state.
The Deputy Chief Minister pointed out that people should understand that repealing the Gaming Act 2021 includes repealed of all gambling activities - teer, fishing competitions, and bullfights, and they will continue without any regulations.
Teer is a favourite betting activity for people in Meghalaya and it is a traditional gaming activity. Banning it would lead to anger and even protests by the people, many opined.
"If the stakeholders say no it means no. If you talk in terms of revenue generation, yes it is true if we set up casinos it will be there but at the same time, we need to respect the sentiments of the people of the state. That is why the Chief Minister has made it categorically clear that we put a full stop on casinos", said Deputy CM Tynsong.
"Our Chief Minister already made it very clear inside the House and anything which is given inside the House is official and nobody can challenge that. That day the chief minister already said that proposal for the casino will die a natural death and on (September) 28 or 29, the provisional licenses will expire," he further added.
Commenting on the demand to repeal the Gambling Act, Tynsong explained why the government should modify and not repeal the gaming Act. "All activities are totally unlawful, we need to regulate, regulation is required, the act is required it has to be in place," he pointed out.
It is the issue of regulation of these activities that has to addressed, opined Tynsong.
Moreover, the Deputy CM said that the public is only against the setting up of casinos and not the gambling Act.
"Otherwise, are you trying to say that they are against the teer and this has been there for so many years, and at that point of time why not object? So be it bullfight, be it a fishing competition, be it jackpot, there are so many so therefore what we did from the government side, we regulate it, we bring in the law, they cannot do whatever they like, it should be within the framed guidelines, rules, but do it in a manner which is not going beyond the legality," he stated.
Also, Tynsong said that there is no question of bypassing the cabinet so far as the appointment of chairman and members of the gaming commission and implementation of the Act is concerned.
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