The Hindu Business Line : Kerala HC upholds State ban on online lotteries

According to the petitioners, the Government had no power to ban online lotteries. The State Government could issue a ban order only when the State was declared totally lottery free zone as otherwise it would offend Section 5 of the Lotteries (Regulation) Act, it was argued.

Countering the arguments, the State Government said though by an order issued in April 22, it had lifted the ban on sale of paper lotteries in the State, it banned online lotteries because several irregularities were found committed by organisers of online lotteries.

Dismissing the petition, the judge said the claim of the petitioners that they were doing perfectly good business could not be accepted. Everyone who had something to do with the computers knew that manipulations could be done in the printing of online lotteries.

The customers could not know whether the lotteries were printed at the terminal based on the command given from the central servers or not.

The Government of Sikkim had no control over the thousand of such terminals set up all over the country. The court also pointed out that going by the provisions of the Act, sale of tickets of a particular lottery could be prohibited, provided the State Government concerned was not running the same lottery.

The court also added that if the Government took a decision in public interest to ban online lotteries, the court should not interfere with the decision unless there were compelling grounds.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
India-US pact: Energising India's nuclear programme

Kerala HC upholds State ban on online lotteries

Aviation policy to focus on making FDI norms flexible

CPI (M) raises issue of sale of Centaur Airport hotel

Rlys plans to issue online receipts for booking of goods