MUMBAI: Andhra Pradesh has imposed a blanket ban on online gambling, targeting direct restrictions on online poker and rummy services.
Perni Venkataramaiah, the state’s Minister of Transport, Information and PR, confirmed the news, stating that the Council of Ministers had agreed to amend the state’s 1974 Gaming Act to implement the ban.
The measure, according to Venkataramaiah, has been taken to protect the state’s young people, and to prevent gambling addiction.
The ban follows on from the president of the Andhra Pradesh unit of the BJP Somu Veerraju’s demand earlier this year to ban igaming across the state, citing concerns over financial hardship among the state’s 49.8 million inhabitants and a potential for increased problem gambling rates.
Veerraju took to social media to welcome the new ban. He warned that those in breach of the ruling will face strict punishments, including a year-long jail sentence for first-time offenders, which will double to two years and a penalty for repeat offenders.
