Juye ka adda: Congress opposes legalising sports betting, says shops will turn into gambler's den

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NEW DELHI: Legalising betting in sports will turn every pan shop into a gambler's den, said senior Congress leader Manish Tewari on Friday.

“If you legalise betting in sports you will not only spoil the sport but also turn every pan shop in the country into a 'juye ka adda'. Does the BJP-NDA govt want to turn every paan shop in the country into a 'juye ka adda'?” said the former Union minister at a press briefing.

The Law Commission on Thursday recommended legalising gambling and betting in sports, including cricket, as regulated activities taxable under the direct and indirect tax regimes and used as a source for attracting foreign direct investment. The commission has also recommended linking Aadhar or PAN card of an individual indulging in betting and gambling, and making the transaction cashless to regulate illegal activities such as money laundering.

Also voicing his protest against the idea was Congress leader Shehzad Jai Hind.

“I personally reject the Law Commission's suggestion to legalise #BettingInSports the way it is being proposed.. Legalised betting & gambling in Horse Racing has been largely unsuccessful in curbing illegal betting! This can destroy savings, lives & families! Ruin sports!” he tweeted.

I personally reject the Law Commission's suggestion to legalise #BettingInSports the way it is being proposed..

Legalised betting & gambling in Horse Racing has been largely unsuccessful in curbing illegal betting!

This can destroy savings, lives & families! Ruin sports!

— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) July 6, 2018

Veteran Communist leader and General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy also claimed that legalising gambling and betting in sports would create "lots of problems", leave room for cheating and provide no level-playing field.

"If betting and gambling are legalised, it will create lots of problems," he told PTI. "My initial reaction is negative about it."

With agency inputs