A legal attempt to bring back casino regulation in Maharashtra has now reached the Supreme Court of India. The case, pushed by Dyutbhumi Hotels and Resorts Pvt Ltd, seeks to revive the long-defunct Maharashtra Casinos Act of 1976. In India, only three states allow casinos to operate legally—Goa, Daman, and Sikkim. These regions offer both land-based and offshore options, but no such framework exists in Maharashtra today.
Good to know
- Maharashtra repealed the 1976 Casinos Act in 2023, saying it was never officially enacted.
- Betting remains banned in the state under the Bombay Prevention of Gambling Act, except for horse racing and skill-based games.
- Only Goa, Daman, and Sikkim currently allow casino operations in India.
The petitioner, formerly operating under the name Mumbai Gambling Management Pvt Ltd, wants the court to reconsider the state’s 2023 repeal of the casino law. The act would have allowed casino gaming in licensed venues and applied a gambling tax of up to 25 percent.
The Bombay High Court dismissed the case in February. In its ruling, the court said the act was never put into effect and described it as “deeply buried.” Judges found the challenge unrealistic and ruled it out as a “far-fetched expectation, which the law can never recognise.”
The petitioner claimed the repeal went against the Constitution of India and argued it should be declared invalid. However, the court found that none of the usual constitutional violations—such as infringing on fundamental rights—applied here.
In addition to reviving the law, the petitioner also wanted the Maharashtra government to consider a casino license application under the repealed act. That request was also turned down.
As of April 21, the Supreme Court has delayed further hearings on the matter by two weeks. Court documents mention an application was submitted asking to bypass the requirement of filing a certified copy of the earlier ruling, even though the decision is publicly available online.
The legal effort continues despite current gambling restrictions in the state. Maharashtra bans most forms of betting under the Bombay Prevention of Gambling Act of 1887, except for regulated horse racing and games of skill.
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