THE ASSAM GAME AND BETTING ACT, 1970

{
    "id": 3126,
    "slug": "assam-game-and-betting-act-1970",
    "title": "THE ASSAM GAME AND BETTING ACT, 1970",
    "short_title": "The Assam Game and Betting Act, 1970",
    "act_number": "XVIII",
    "act_year": 1970,
    "act_type": "STATE",
    "location": "Assam",
    "law_status": "valid",
    "enactment_date": "1970-12-19",
    "description": "The Assam Game and Betting Act, 1970",
    "preamble": "",
    "section_label": "Section",
    "sections": [
        {
            "number": "1",
            "title": "An ACT",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "An\nAct\nto extend the Public Gambling Act, 1867 to the whole of the State\nof Assam.\nWhereas gambling and betting on games and sports\nhave widely spread throughout the State causing\ndebasement of public morality and wide-spread\nexploitation and threat to peace and order;\nIt has therefore become expedient to extend the\nPublic Gambling Act, 1867 to the whole of the\nState of Assam to prohibit betting on games in the\nmanner hereinafter appearing;\nIt is hereby enacted in the Twenty-first Year of the\nRepublic of India as follows:-",
            "footnote": "Central Act III of 1867",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 0
        },
        {
            "number": "1",
            "title": "Section 1. Short title, extent and commencement",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "Short title, extent and commencement.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 10
        },
        {
            "number": "1",
            "title": "Section 1(1)",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "This Act may be called the Assam Game\nand Betting Act, 1970.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 20
        },
        {
            "number": "1",
            "title": "Section 1(2)",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "It shall extend to the whole of Assam\nexcluding the Autonomous State of Meghalaya but\nincluding the Municipality of Shillong.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 30
        },
        {
            "number": "1",
            "title": "Section 1(3)",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "It shall come into force at once.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 40
        },
        {
            "number": "2",
            "title": "Section 2. Definitions",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "For the purpose of this Act, unless contrary\nintention appears in the context:-",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": true,
            "sort_order": 50
        },
        {
            "number": "2",
            "title": "Section 2(a)",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "\"bet\" with all its grammatical variations\nmeans any money or a valuable security or\nthing staked by a person on behalf of\nhimself or on behalf of any other person,\nby himself or through any agent or any\nperson procured or employed acting for or\non his behalf, to be lost or won on the\nhappening or determination of an unazcer-\ntained thing, event or contingency of or in\nrelation to a game or sport and shall\ninclude acceptance of a bet.\nIt shall further include wager, wagering contract,\ntotalisator and pool transaction in relation to any\ngame or sport but shall not include a lottery or\nbetting on a horse race when such betting takes\nplace-\n(i) On the day on which the race has\nbeen fixed to run,\n(ii) in an enclosure which the racing club\nor the stewards thereof controlling\nsuch race have with the permission of\nthe State Government set apart for the\npurpose, and\n(iii) with a licensed book-maker for horse\nracing or by means of a totalisator as\ndefined in section 14 of the Assam\nAmusements and Betting Tax Act,\n1939.",
            "footnote": "Assam Act VI of 1939",
            "is_definition": true,
            "sort_order": 60
        },
        {
            "number": "2",
            "title": "Section 2(b)",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "\"acceptance of bet\" with all its gramma-\ntical variations means the acceptance of\na bet as defined in clause (a) above\nby\nany person either on behalf of himself or\nany other person or through any agent or\nany person procured or employed acting\nfor or on his behalf, with a promise,\nundertaking or assurance express or\nimplied for payment of any money or\nany valuable thing after the happening\nor\ndetermination of an unascertained\nevent or thing in relation to any game\nor sport.\nBanks, Posts and Telegraphs or any other orga-\nnisation or house or concern which transmits money\nor valuable security shall be deemed to be joint\nagent of both the sender and the receiver.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": true,
            "sort_order": 70
        },
        {
            "number": "2",
            "title": "Section 2(c)",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "\"Betting house\" means any house, room,\noffice, enclosure, space, vehicle, vessel, tent\nor place which is used for the purpose of\nbetting or for receiving any information of\nanything including the result of any game\nor sport or wherein instruments of betting\nor records of betting are kept or found or\nwhereto visitors are invited for purpose of\nbetting by any advertisement, board or\nsignboard or any visible sign or by any\nwords verbal or in writing.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": true,
            "sort_order": 80
        },
        {
            "number": "2",
            "title": "Section 2(d)",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "\"instruments of betting\" includes any\nboard, table, tickets, tokens, coupons,\nbook, khatas, slips and all other things\nwhich are used in bettings or to facilitate\nbetting on a game or sport.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": true,
            "sort_order": 90
        },
        {
            "number": "2",
            "title": "Section 2(e)",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "\"records of betting\" includes any table,\nboard cloth, writing materials, accounts\nand account-books,\nslips, paper, books,\nkhatas, receipts, coupons and all other\nthings which contain or may indicate to\nhave any relation to record of betting.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": true,
            "sort_order": 100
        },
        {
            "number": "2",
            "title": "Section 2(f)",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "\"District Magistrate\" shall include a Magis-\ntrate holding the charge of a Subdivision\nand an Additional District Magistrate and\nalso any Magistrate having the powers\nof a First Class Magistrate.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": true,
            "sort_order": 110
        },
        {
            "number": "2",
            "title": "Section 2(g)",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "\"District Superintendent of Police\" includes\nan Additional and Assistant Superinten-\ndent of Police, Deputy Superintendent of\nPolice and any police officer, holding the\ncharge of a Subdivision of a District.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": true,
            "sort_order": 120
        },
        {
            "number": "2",
            "title": "Section 2(h)",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "\"person\" shall have the same meaning as\ndefined in the Assam General Clauses Act,\n1915 and shall include a firm, whether\nregistered or not and also a firm of an\nundivided Hindu family.",
            "footnote": "Assam Act III of 1915",
            "is_definition": true,
            "sort_order": 130
        },
        {
            "number": "2",
            "title": "Section 2(i)",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "\"valuable security\" shall have the same\nmeaning as defined in the Indian Penal\nCode, 1860.",
            "footnote": "Central Act XLV of 1860",
            "is_definition": true,
            "sort_order": 140
        },
        {
            "number": "2",
            "title": "Section 2(j)",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "\"the Act\" means the Public Gambling\nAct, 1867.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": true,
            "sort_order": 150
        },
        {
            "number": "2",
            "title": "Section 2(k)",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "\"invitation for betting\" means to invite\nvisitors to take part in betting in which-\never form or to be present in the betting\nhouse, by or through any advertisement\nor display of any board, signboard or\nany ether form of visible representation\nor by words, verbal or in writing.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": true,
            "sort_order": 160
        },
        {
            "number": "3",
            "title": "Section 3. Amendment of section 2 of Central Act III of 1867",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "For section 2 of the Public Gambling Act, 1867\nthe following shall be substituted, namely-\n\"Extent\n2. This Act shall extend to the whole of Assam\nexcluding the Autonomous State of Me-\nghalaya but including the Municipality\nof Shillong.\"",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 170
        },
        {
            "number": "4",
            "title": "Section 4. Amendment of section 3 of Central Act III of 1867",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "In section 3 of the Act, for the words \"two\nhundred rupees\", the words \"five hundred\nrupees\" shall be substituted.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 180
        },
        {
            "number": "5",
            "title": "Section 5. Amendment of section 7 of Central Act III of 1867",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "In section 7 of the Act, for the words \"five\nhundred rupees\", the words \"one thousand\nrupees\" shall be substituted.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 190
        },
        {
            "number": "6",
            "title": "Section 6. Amendment of section 13 of Central Ac III of 1867",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "In section 13 of the Act, for the words\n\"fifty rupees\", the words \"one hundred\nrupees\" shall be substituted.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 200
        },
        {
            "number": "7",
            "title": "Section 7. Power to enter and authorise Police to enter and search",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "If a District Magistrate or a District\nSuperintendent of Police has reason to\nbelieve that any house, room, office, enclo-\nsure, space, vehicle, vessel, tent or place\nis used as betting house;\nhe may either himself enter or by his warrant\nauthorise an officer of Police not below\nthe rank of a Sub-Inspector to enter with\nsuch assistance as may be found necessary\nby night or by day and by force if neces-\nsary any such house, room, office, enclosure,\nspace, vehicle, vessel, tent or place;\nand may either himself or by the Police Officer\nauthorised as above take into custody, all persons\nwhom he or such officer, finds therein, whether or\nnot then actually betting;\nand may either himself or by such Police Officer as\nauthorised as above, seize all things reasonably sus-\npected to be instruments of betting or records of\nbetting and all moneys and securities for money and\narticles of value reasonably suspected to have been\nused or intended to be used for the purpose of betting\non a game or sport;\nand may either himself or the Police Officer as\nauthorised above, search all parts of the house, room,\noffice, enclosure, space, vehicle, vessel, tent or place\nwhich he or such officer shall have so entered when he\nor such officer has reason to believe that any instru-\nments of betting or records of betting are concealed on\nkept therein, and also the persons of those whom he\nor such officer so takes into custody;\nand either he or such officer may seize and take\npossession of all things reasonably suspected to be in-\nstruments of betting or records of betting found upon\nsuch search, or used or intended to be used in bett-\ning.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 210
        },
        {
            "number": "8",
            "title": "Section 8. Presumption as to use of any house, room, etc., as a betting house and of a person found therein",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "When any instruments of betting or any records\nof betting are found in any house, enclosure, room,\noffice, space, vehicle, vessel, tent or place entered or\nsearched under the provision of the last preceding\nsection or on or about the persons of any of those who\nare found therein, it shall be presumed, until the\ncontrary is made to appear, that such house\nenclosure, office, room, space, vehicle, vessel\ntent or place is used as betting house and that the\npersons found therein were present for the purpose of\nbetting although no betting was actually seen by the\nMagistrate or by the Police Officer or any of its\nAssistants.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 220
        },
        {
            "number": "9",
            "title": "Section 9. Penalty on persons arrested for giving false names and addresses",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "If any person found in a betting house, entered\nby a Magistrate or any officer of Police under the pro-\nvisions of this Act, upon being arrested by any such\nofficer or upon being brought before any Magistrate\nor being required by such officer or Magistrate to give\nhis name and address shall refuse or neglect to give the\nsame or shall give any false name or address, he shall\nbe punished with rigorous imprisonment for not less\nthan three months but not exceeding one year and a\nfine of rupees five hundred but not exceeding rupees\none thousand.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 230
        },
        {
            "number": "10",
            "title": "Section 10. Destruction of Instruments and records of betting and forfeiture of money, etc.",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "On conviction of any person for an offence under\nthe provisions of this Act, the convicting Magistrate\nshall order all the instruments and records of betting\nfound therein to be destroyed and shall order all and\nany of the securities for money and other article seized,\nnot being instruments or records of betting to be sold\nand converted into money and the proceeds thereof\nand all money seized therein to be forfeited.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 240
        },
        {
            "number": "11",
            "title": "Section 11. Proof of actual betting unnecessary",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "It shall not be necessary in order to convict any\nperson for keeping a betting house or for being con-\ncerned in the management of any betting house to\nprove that any person found was actually betting.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 250
        },
        {
            "number": "12",
            "title": "Section 12. Witnesses indemnified",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "Any person who shall have been concerned in\nbetting and who shall be examined as a witness before\na Magistrate on the trial of any person under any\nprovision of this Act and who upon such examina-\ntion shall in the opinion of the Magistrate make true\nand faithful statement, and discovery to the best of his\nknowledge, of all things regarding which he shall be\nso examined, shall thereupon receive from the said\nMagistrate a certificate in writing to that effect, and\nshall be free from all prosecutions under this Act for\nanything done before that time.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 260
        },
        {
            "number": "13",
            "title": "Section 13. Arrest of persons found betting or possessing instruments or records of betting and seizure",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "Any Police Officer may apprehend any person\nfound betting or having in possession any instrument\nof betting or records of betting found on or about a\nperson so apprehended.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 270
        },
        {
            "number": "14",
            "title": "Section 14. Punishment for betting, inviting or possessing instrument or records of betting or accepting betting",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "Anybody who bets or invites betting or poss-\nesses any instrument of betting or records of betting\nor accepts betting as defined by the provisions of this\nAct shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for\nnot less than six months but not exceeding three years\nand a fine of rupees one thousand but not exceeding\nrupees two thousand.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 280
        },
        {
            "number": "15",
            "title": "Section 15. Penalty for owning or keeping or having charge of a betting house",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "Whoever opens or keeps betting house or uses\nany house, room; office, enclosure, space, vehicle,\nvessel, tent, or place as a betting house or whoever\nbeing an owner, occupier or having the use of any\nhouse, room, office, space, vehicle, vessel, tent, en-\nclosure, place permits or connives at any person using\nsuch house, room, office, space, vehicle, vessel, tent,\nenclosure or place as a beating house or whoever has\nthe care or management of or in any manner assists\nin conducting the business of any house, room, office,\nspace, vehicle, vessel, tent, enclosure or place opens,\nkeeps or uses the same for the purpose of pose of betting or\nwhoever advances or furnishes money for the purpose of\nbetting shall be punished with rigorous imprison-\nment for not less than six months but not exceeding\nthree years and a fine for rupees one thousand but\nnot exceeding rupees two thousand.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 290
        },
        {
            "number": "16",
            "title": "Section 16. Presumption as to betting",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "Anybody who is found in a betting house by\na Magistrate or a Police Officer entering into a\nbetting house under the provision of section 7 of\nthis Act shall be presumed, unless the contrary is\nproved, that he had been there for the purpose of\nbetting and shall be punished with rigorous impri-\nsonment for not less than six months but not ex-\nceeding three years and a fine of rupees one thou-\nsand but not exceeding rupees two thousand.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 300
        },
        {
            "number": "17",
            "title": "Section 17. Punishment for communicating and receiving information about result of or in relation to betting",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "Anybody who communicates auy information\nabout the result of a betting or any thing in relation\nto a betting and anybody who receives such infor-\nmation shall be liable to be punished with rigorous im-\nprisonment for not less than six months but not ex-\nceeding three years and a fine of rupees one thousand\nbut not exceeding rupees two thousand,",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 310
        },
        {
            "number": "18",
            "title": "Section 18. Presumption and evidence in respect of instrument of betting and taking part in in betting",
            "chapter": "part in",
            "content": "Any ticket, token, receipt, coupon or counter-\nfoil and such other things found and seized on or\nabout a person apprehended or taken into custody\nunder any provision of this Act or found and seized\nin and from the possession of a person shali be\nevidence in the trial of such person for an offence\nunder this Act and unless the contrary is proved,\nshall be presumed to be an instrument of betting\non a game or sport and shall also be presumed\nthat the person concerned had taken part in betting.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 320
        },
        {
            "number": "19",
            "title": "Section 19. Presumption and evidence in respect of records of betting",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "Any cloth, writing materials, books, khatas,\nregisters, ledgers, accounts and account books which\nmay indicate to have any relation to betting, if\nfound on or about the person who has been app-\nrehended or taken into custody under any provision\nof this Act or found and seized in and from the\npossession of any person shall be evidence at the\ntrial of such person for an offence under this Act\nand shall be presumed to be records of betting\nunless the contrary is proved by the accused person.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 330
        },
        {
            "number": "20",
            "title": "Section 20. Finding of tickets, tokens, etc., in suspected houses to be evidence that they are instruments or records of betting and that such houses are betting houses",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "Any ticket, token, receipt, coupon, counter-\nfoil and any cloth, board, table, paper and slips\nof paper, books, registers, boards, signboards or any\nvisible representations, ledgers, accounts, account\nbooks and money which may indicate to have any\nrelation with betting and which have been found\nand seized under section 7 of this Act shall be\nevidence in a trial for an offence under section 15\nand shall be presumed to be instruments of betting\nor records of betting, as the case may be, and the\nhouse, room, office, space, vehicle, vessel, tent,\nenclosure or place shall be presumed to be a\nbetting house unless the contrary is proved by the\naccused person.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 340
        },
        {
            "number": "21",
            "title": "Section 21. Offences cognisable, non-bailable, and special procedure for granting bails",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "All offences under this Act shall be cog-\nnisable and non-bailable, and no person accused of\nan offence under this Act, shall be released on\nbail by any Court without hearing the prosecution\nof which due notice shall be given; provided that\nall orders shall give reasons for which bail is\ngiven.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 350
        },
        {
            "number": "22",
            "title": "Section 22. Amendment of Chapter II of Assam Act VI of 1939",
            "chapter": "Chapter II",
            "content": "Chapter II of the Assam Amusements and\nBetting Tax Act, 1939, hereinafter referred to as the\nsaid Chapter, shall stand amended as specified in the\nSchedule;",
            "footnote": "Assam Act VI of 1939",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 360
        },
        {
            "number": "23",
            "title": "Section 23. Repeal and Saving",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "Repeal and\nSaving.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 370
        },
        {
            "number": "23",
            "title": "Section 23(1)",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "The Assam Game and Betting Ordinance,\n1970 is hereby repealed.",
            "footnote": "Assam Ordinance III of 1970",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 380
        },
        {
            "number": "23",
            "title": "Section 23(2)",
            "chapter": null,
            "content": "Notwithstanding such repeal, anything\ndone or any action taken under the Assam\nGame and Betting Ordinance, 1970, shall\nbe deemed to have been done or taken\nunder this Act as if this Act had commen-\nced on the twentieth day of August, 1970\n(the date of promulgation of the Ordinance).",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 390
        },
        {
            "number": "41",
            "title": "Schedule - Amendments to Chapter II of the Assam Amusements and Betting Tax Act, 1939",
            "chapter": "Chapter II",
            "content": "SCHEDULE\r\nAmendments to Chapter II of the Assam Amusements and Betting\r\nTax Act, 1939.\r\n(See Section 22)\r\n1. In section 14 of the said Chapter:-\r\n(i) clause (3A) shall be deleted;\r\n(ii) clause (7) shall be deleted.\r\n2. In section 18 of the said Chapter, sub-sections (3), (4) and\r\n(5) shall be deleted.",
            "footnote": "",
            "is_definition": false,
            "sort_order": 400
        }
    ],
    "metadata": {
        "Act ID": "197018",
        "Act Number": "XVIII",
        "Enactment Date": "1970-12-19",
        "Act Year": "1970",
        "Short Title": "The Assam Game and Betting Act, 1970",
        "Department": "Legislative Department",
        "Type": "STATE",
        "Location": "Assam"
    },
    "updated_at": "2026-09-29 21:52:15"
}