SHILLONG, Sept 13: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has demanded the state government to consult all stakeholders before implementing the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021 and to withdraw the temporary licenses issued any person for establishing a casino in Ri Bhoi district.

“We demand that the State Government should consult all the stake-holders before implementing the Act in totality and in the meantime to withdraw the temporary licences issued to any person(s),” HYC vice president Rhembor G Saibon said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Reiterating its opposition to any form of legalization of gambling, online betting and casinos in the state, he said, “We are of the opinion that these activities will completely destroy the lives of young and vulnerable men and women as well as their families, irrespective of which community they belong to or belief or faith they are professing.”

“Maybe online betting and casinos will bring a lot of revenue to the State but are we as a state and the people, willing to sacrifice the future of our youths and the society as a whole and are we ready to face the ill effects of these activities on our society at large in the future,” he asked.

The HYC vice president said the organization also calls upon the State Government, all the MLAs and the Officers of the State Government to do some introspection and soul-searching and take a conscious call “as to whether as a state we are moving in the right direction by implementing this questionable and/or debatable act”.