Essay On Gambling

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Gambling can be traced back in different forms in every age, civilization, religion and culture. It has been existing as a source of entertainment. The propensity of gambling is deeply entrenched in the tradition and culture of Indian society. Gambling, in today’s world exists in many forms. It can be betting on sports, political outcomes or wars, success of films, or weather. All sorts of gambling, including internet betting is illegal in India. Legal gambling in India is limited to only lotteries and horse racing. The Public Gambling Act of 1867 prohibits running or being in charge of a public gaming house. The penalty for breaking this law is a fine of 200 or imprisonment up to 3 months. Additionally, this act also prohibits visiting a gaming house, penalty for which is a fine of 100 and imprisonment up to 1 month. The Information Technology Act 2000 checks the cyber activities in India and prohibits publication of information that can corrupt people. It includes online gambling and punishment is much more serious than an …show more content…

The ancient records have not always been clear about what is game playing and what is gambling. It is necessary to understand the historical background of the underground lottery system in India. The role of gambling in revenue is not new. It has been existing from Kautilya’s era where there was a 5% tax on winnings. Dice throwing was very popular in the olden times in India. It can be traced back to the Mahabharata, where Yudhistira lost his whole fortune during a dice game which ultimately leads to the Pandavas going into exile. The stakes weren’t necessarily so high but dice would determine people’s fortunes centuries ago. Less palatable gambling in India is betting on bullfighting, cockfights and goat fights. This is still prevalent in many parts of the world. Sharp knives are tied to these animals and the fight goes on till an animal dies or is defeated and hence the bets are

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