SHILLONG:
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on September 29 informed that the six-month validity of the three provisional licenses issued for operating casinos in the state expired on Thursday while adding that stakeholders could come up with suggestions if there are any specific areas to be amended in the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act (MRGA), 2021.
“There are more than 10-15 applications lying with us and they have not been processed because we had said we will not go ahead until and unless people are taking into confidence. The three licenses were issued on March 29, which was way ahead of the public debate that started in the month of May (against setting up of casinos). Hence, at that point in time the process started with the goal to increase the revenue and to ensure gaming happens in specific zones,” he said.
When asked, the chief minister said his statements made on the floor of the Assembly on the government’s stand not to set up casinos should be taken seriously by all stakeholders.
“I have made the statement as chief minister and those people who have doubts should believe that if the chief minister has given a statement on the floor of the House it means serious business,” he asserted.
On the gaming Act, he said. “It is a simple Act which talks about offline and online gaming and therefore the amendment issue is not there as there is nothing to be amended. (However), if there is specific areas to be amended then somebody can bring a suggestion but as of now there are no areas that have come up to be amended,” Sangma told reporters while responding to a query if the government would bring some amendments to the Act in view of the growing demand for its repeal.
This came after different stakeholders, including church leaders and NGOs, have strongly opposed the government’s move to set up casinos in the state.
Reiterating that there is no question of repealing the MRGA, Sangma said, “the Act regulates the existing gaming zones which is also required but the question of going into new gaming zones and areas have been stopped as of now and will not proceed until and unless we are able to discuss with all stakeholders and then only we will see the situation and decide on how we should move forward. Till then everything has been put on hold.”
According to the chief minister, the objective of the government was to have a win-win situation where gaming would be right at the border close to Guwahati, not to affect the rest of the state but yet get taxation of GST which would be close to Rs 500 or 600 crore revenue would come in.
DEMAND TO CLOSE CASINOS
The Khasi Jaintia Church Leaders’ Forum (KJCLF) on Thursday reiterated its demand to close the casino gambling industry and repeal the MRGA.
In a letter to the chief minister, the KJCLF stated that it confidently appreciates the chief minister’s readiness and willingness to listen to the voices of the people including groups and church leaders as has been consistently portrayed and conveyed on many occasions.
“However, as a follow-up of what had transpired in the sittings of the recently-concluded sessions of our State Legislative Assembly and thereafter, the Forum sees that there is no firm assurance of the present government to the closure of the casino gambling industry and the repeal of the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act 2021. Facts as revealed in the public domain show otherwise!” the Forum said.
“Being gravely concerned with all this the KJCLF continues to insist and demand the closure of the casino gambling industry and the repeal of the MRGA, 2021,” it said.