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The Public Gambling Act, 1867

Act No. II of 1867
Date of Assent: 10th April, 1867
Status: Active

Preamble

An Act to provide for the punishment of public gambling and the keeping of common gaming-houses in Bangladesh.

WHEREAS it is expedient to make provisions for the punishment of public gambling and the keeping of common gaming-houses in Bangladesh; It is enacted as follows:

Short Title and Extent

Section 1 - Short Title and Extent

This Act may be called the Public Gambling Act, 1867 and shall extend to the whole of Bangladesh except a Metropolitan Area.

Definitions

Section 1A - Definitions

"Gaming" includes wagering or betting except wagering or betting upon a horse-race, when such wagering or betting takes place: - (a) on the day of which such race is to be run, - (b) in an enclosure which the Stewards controlling such race have, with the sanction of the Government, set apart for the purpose, and - (c) (i) with a licensed bookmaker, or (ii) by means of a totalisator as defined in section 14 of the Amusements Tax Act, 1922

but does not include a lottery.

"Instruments of gaming" includes any article used as a means or appurtenance of, or for the purpose of carrying on or facilitating, gaming.

"Common gaming-house" means any house, room, tent, or walled enclosure, or space, or vehicle, or any place whatsoever, in which any instruments of gaming are kept or used for the profit or gain of the person owning, occupying, using or keeping such house, room, tent, enclosure, space, vehicle or place, whether by way of charge for the use of such house, room, tent, enclosure, space, vehicle, place or instruments or otherwise howsoever.

Application and Powers

Section 2 - Power to Extend Act

It shall be competent to the Government whenever it may think fit, to extend, by notification to be published in the official Gazette, all or any of the sections of this Act to any city, town, or place in Bangladesh, and in such notification to define, for the purposes of this Act, the limits of such city, town or place, and from time to time to alter the limits so defined.

Penalties for Gaming Houses

Section 3 - Penalty for Owning or Keeping Common Gaming-House

Whoever, being the owner or occupier, or having the use, of any house, tent, room, space or walled enclosure, situate within the limits to which this Act applies, opens, keeps or uses the same as a common gaming-house; and whoever, being the owner or occupier of any such house, knowingly or wilfully permits the same to be opened, occupied, used or kept by any other person as a common gaming-house; and whoever has the care or management of, or in any manner assists in conducting, the business of any house opened, occupied, used or kept for the purpose aforesaid; and whoever advances or furnishes money for the purpose of gaming with persons frequenting such house, shall be liable, on conviction before any Magistrate to a fine not exceeding two hundred taka, or to imprisonment of either description, as defined in the Penal Code for any term not exceeding three months.

Section 4 - Penalty for Being Found in Common Gaming-House

Whoever is found in any such house, tent, room, space, or walled enclosure, playing or gaming with cards, dice, counters, money or other instruments of gaming, or is found there present for the purpose of gaming, whether playing for any money, wager, stake or otherwise, shall be liable, on conviction before any Magistrate, to a fine not exceeding one hundred taka or to imprisonment of either description, as defined in the Penal Code, for any term not exceeding one month; and any person found in any common gaming-house during any gaming or playing therein shall be presumed, until the contrary be proved, to have been there for the purpose of gaming.

Powers of Search and Seizure

If the Magistrate of a district or other officer invested with the full powers of a Magistrate or the District Superintendent of Police, upon credible information, and after such inquiry as he may think necessary, has reason to believe that any house, tent, room, space or walled enclosure is used as a common gaming-house, he may either himself enter, or by his warrant authorize any officer of police, not below such rank as the Government shall appoint in this behalf, to enter, with such assistance as may be found necessary, by night or by day, and by force if necessary, any such house, and may either himself take into custody, or authorize such officer to take into custody, all persons whom he or such officer finds therein.

Section 6 - Finding Cards, etc., in Suspected Houses to be Evidence

When any cards, dice, gaming-table, cloth, boards or other instruments of gaming are found in any house, tent, room, space or walled enclosure entered or searched under the provisions of the last preceding section, or about the person of any of those who are found therein, it shall be evidence, until the contrary is made to appear, that such house is used as a common gaming-house, and that the persons found therein were there present for the purpose of gaming.

Additional Penalties

Section 7 - Penalty for Giving False Name or Address

If any person found in any common gaming-house entered by any Magistrate or officer of police under the provisions of this Act, upon being arrested, on being required by such officer or Magistrate to give his name and address, shall refuse or neglect to give the same, or shall give any false name or address, he may, upon conviction before the same or any other Magistrate, be adjudged to pay any penalty not exceeding five hundred taka, together with such costs as to such Magistrate shall appear reasonable.

Section 8 - Destruction of Instruments of Gaming

On conviction of any person for keeping or using any such common gaming-house, or being present therein for the purpose of gaming, the convicting Magistrate may order all the instruments of gaming found therein to be destroyed, and may also order all or any of the securities for money, and other articles seized, not being instruments of gaming to be sold and converted into money.

Public Gaming

Section 11 - Gaming and Setting Birds and Animals to Fight in Public Streets

A police officer may apprehend without warrant any person found gaming in any public market, fair, street, place or thoroughfare situated within the limits aforesaid, or any person setting any birds or animals to fight in any public market, fair, street, place or thoroughfare situated within the limits aforesaid. Such person, when apprehended, shall be brought without delay before a Magistrate, and shall be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty taka, or to imprisonment, either simple or rigorous, for any term not exceeding one calendar month.

Section 11A - Exemption of Games of Mere Skill

Nothing in this Act shall apply to any game of mere skill, wherever played.

Jurisdiction and Subsequent Offences

Section 12 - Offences by Whom Triable

Offences punishable under this Act shall be triable by any Magistrate having jurisdiction in the place where the offence is committed.

Section 13 - Penalty for Subsequent Offence

Whoever, having been convicted of an offence punishable under this Act, shall be guilty of any such offence, shall be subject for every such subsequent offence to double the amount of punishment to which he would otherwise have been liable for the same: Provided that he shall not be liable in any case to a fine exceeding six hundred taka, or to imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.

Section 15 - Application of Definition of "Offence" in Penal Code

Anything made punishable by this Act shall be deemed to be an "offence" within the meaning of the Penal Code.

Historical Context

This Act was enacted to suppress public gambling and regulate gaming activities, reflecting social concerns about gambling during the British colonial period.

Current Application

This Act continues to provide the legal framework for controlling and penalizing public gambling activities in Bangladesh, while exempting games of skill and regulated betting on horse races.

Source: Bangladesh Laws - Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs
Available at: http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-details-16.html