Lucknow, Jun 17 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh is now gearing up to ban gambling in public with a stricter law.

According to sources, the State Law Commission has submitted the draft for a new law that prohibits public gambling, including online gambling and various forms of betting, putting them in the category of non bailable offences.

The draft report titled Uttar Pradesh Public Gaming (Prevention) Bill has been prepared under the chairmanship of State Law Commission, headed by Justice A.N. Mittal and was submitted to the Chief Minister earlier this week.

The Bill provides a maximum punishment of three years. The draft of this new law has been made keeping in mind the fast-growing form of online gambling.

The Public Gambling Act, at present, only provides for one-year imprisonment and Rs 1,000 fine. These punitive provisions are not enough to check online gambling, officials said.

Important recommendations have been made to break the chain of cartels that operate gambling houses and bookies in the state.

The Commission has recommended increasing the punishment to one year and a fine of Rs 5,000. It has also recommended making online gambling, house gambling operation and betting a non-bailable offence.

The new law is slated to give more power to police.

Justice A.N. Mittal, chairman of the commission, said that a distinction has also been made between game of skill and chance.

Card games played under a Game of Skill will not be punishable.

He said that if a family plays cards in their house for rituals and entertainment and no outsider is present there, then it will not be punishable.