PRS Legislative Research has compiled National Crime Records Bureau data related to gambling, according to which the largest number of gambling cases in India were reported from Andhra Pradesh.
While Andhra Pradesh reported 2,67,719 cases of gambling from the years 2007 to 2012, Madhya Pradesh reported the second largest number of 1,14,828 cases and Maharashtra reported the third largest number of 65,622 cases. While Lakshadweep and Arunachal Pradesh did not report any gambling cases, Delhi reported as many as 2,177 cases during the same period.
The Indian Constitution gives state legislative assemblies the power to enact gambling laws. Anti gambling laws in most states are heavily influenced by a central law enacted in 1867. Sikkim and Goa are the only Indian states that have legalized various forms of satta. In majority of Indian states, only horse satta is legal.
The Andhra Pradesh Crime Records Bureau has data showing that gambling is on the rise in the state, with gambling outfits scattered all over places such as Krishna, Anantapur, West Godavari, Vijayawada, Kurnool, East Godavari, and Prakasam. Residents of Andhra Pradesh enjoy placing sattas on Teen Patti, cock fights, pigeon racing, and other illegal forms of gambling. Even the police have been caught playing cards, while on duty.
The Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act, which was passed in 1974, allows only rummy, lottery, and horse racing betting. The police have arrested many for illegal gambling, but only those operating illegal gambling outfits are severely punished. Usually, the police support operators of illegal gambling clubs and pretend to be unaware of their activities.
Rummy satta is legal in Andhra Pradesh because of a Supreme Court ruling, which observes that Rummy is a game of skill as “the fall of cards has to be memorized and the building up of rummy requires considerable skill in holding and discarding cards.”
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