The state assembly on Tuesday passed the Bihar Gambling (Prohibition) Bill, 2026, under which all kinds of gambling, including those conducted online, electronic, computer or mobile applications in the state would be banned, said people aware of the matter, adding there were also provisions for stringent punishment for publishing and broadcasting gambling-related content.
Event Context
If a person voluntarily makes his bank account, mobile app, digital wallet or other digital account available for gambling or earns profit from it, he will face a jail term of up to six months and a fine of up to ₹10,000. Cheating in the name of ‘game of luck’ will also come under the radar.
Team Analysis
As far as the companies involved in betting or gambling are concerned, the company itself, as well as, every person in-charge of its business or responsible for it, would be considered guilty.
“The Union home ministry has requested the states and Union territories to revoke the Public Gambling Act, 1867 and bring a new legislation to regulate public gambling in the current perspective. Therefore, the aim of this bill is to revoke the Public Gambling Act, 1867, and replace it with Bihar Gambling (Prohibition) Act, 2026,” CM Samrat Choudhary said about the aims and objectives of the bill in assembly.
Match Outlook
Along with gambling houses, online gambling, betting, its operation and promotion will also come under the category of crime. It also has a provision of one to three years jail and a fine of ₹50,000 to ₹5 lakh for first time offenders. In case of repeat offence, the maximum punishment will be seven years in jail and a fine of ₹1 lakh to ₹10 lakh.
Printing or publishing gambling-related information will be punishable with a maximum of five years in jail and a fine of up to ₹5 lakh. At the same time, there is a provision of imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to ₹50,000 for advertising gambling.
Under the provisions, any police officer in the rank of sub-inspector or above, can search or arrest any person found gambling or abetting gambling at any public place. The police will seize cash from the accused, and bank accounts, wallet accounts will also be frozen.
If an app related to gambling or betting is found in the mobile or computer, it will become evidence of the crime. Such cases shall not go on trial in a court inferior to that of a first class judicial magistrate.
So far, the Public Gambling Act 1867 was in force in the state, which will be repealed and a new law will be implemented to deal with the changing trends of gambling. In the new law, punishment and penalties are being made more stringent by including offences related to online gambling and digital accounts etc.
