3rd Legislative Drafting Competition by The GNLU Centre for Research in Criminal Justice Sciences: Register by Dec 26

About the Competition

The GNLU Centre for Research in Criminal Justice Sciences is organising the third edition of its Legislative Drafting Competition. The competition provides a remarkable opportunity for individuals to learn the nuances of legislative drafting and hone their skills in that respect. The competition will help the participants to understand the intricacies of the process of drafting from identifying the issues to striking a standard balance between the ideal and the pragmatic aspects.

Theme of the Proposed Act

The Online Gaming and Gambling (Regulation) Act, 2025 is essential to address the growing ambiguity in the legal status of online gaming and gambling in India. Currently, most states prohibit gambling under the Public Gambling Act, 1867, but the law does not cover the rapidly expanding online gaming industry. According to a 2023 KPMG report, the online gaming industry in India is projected to reach a market size of $8.6 billion by 2027, growing at a rate of 20% annually. This boom has brought significant challenges, including concerns about money laundering, addiction, and financial fraud. While some states have imposed bans on online gambling, the absence of a uniform national law leaves this sector in a legal grey area, leading to regulatory inconsistencies and weak consumer protection.

The growing popularity of skill-based and chance-based online gaming platforms, such as fantasy sports, poker, and betting apps, necessitates a comprehensive legal framework. A new law should differentiate between games of skill and games of chance to regulate them effectively. This distinction is critical because fantasy sports platforms, classified as games of skill, have seen rapid growth, with over 130 million users in India by 2024, according to the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports. However, the same platforms are often used for illegal betting and gambling, underscoring the need for tighter regulations to protect consumers from fraud and exploitation.

A robust regulatory framework should be designed to ensure consumer protection, prevent illegal gambling operations, and promote responsible gaming practices. The law should clearly define and mandate licensing and registration for all online gaming operators, platforms and stakeholders to ensure they meet stringent standards of fairness, transparency, and accountability. By doing so, the law would also establish a system to track and tax digital transactions, helping curb violations of law, including money laundering, acting as a deterrent measure. In 2023, the Enforcement Directorate reported multiple cases where illegal online betting platforms were used to launder crores of rupees through offshore accounts, demonstrating the urgent need for a legal framework to prevent such financial crimes. Penal measures along with judicial procedures should be included to criminalize unauthorized betting platforms, impose heavy fines, and enable the seizure of assets involved in illegal gambling operations.

The Online Gaming and Gambling (Regulation) Act, 2025 should provide a comprehensive framework that regulates the growing online gaming industry, protects consumers, prevents financial crimes, and promotes responsible gaming. By addressing the current regulatory gaps, this law would establish a transparent, safe, and accountable environment for online gaming and gambling in India.

General Instructions

• There will be no registration fee.
• Mode of the Competition: Online
• The competition will be conducted in English.
• A Participation request post-registration date will not be considered unless there is a genuine reason (subject to GCRCJS’ sole discretion).
• The Legislative Bill document submission restricts any form of identification mark of the participants.
• The file must be submitted in both Doc. or Docx. and PDF formats.
• Submission made by the participants is to be titled ‘SUBMISSION FOR LEGISLATIVE DRAFTING COMPETITION (First Name_Last Name)’, through the provided Google form.
• 80% similarity of two or more drafts will lead to disqualification of the participants from the competition.
• No submissions from the participants will be entertained after the due date.
• After the conclusion of the competition, the Organizer holds every right on the draft submitted.

Eligibility

The competition is open to all students pursuing LLM or LLB from a recognized Law College/University. The participant can register individually or in a team of not more than 2 members.

Important Dates

• LAST DATE OF REGISTRATION: 26 December, 2024
• LAST DATE OF SUBMISSION: 10 February, 2025
• DECLARATION OF RESULTS: 10 April, 2025

Prizes

• WINNER: Rs. 9,000
• 1ST RUNNER UP: Rs. 7,000
• 2ND RUNNER UP: Rs. 5,000
• A Certificate of Participation will be issued to every participant along with Certificate of Merit to the top ten drafts.

Registration Procedure

Click Here To Register.

Submission Procedure

Click Here To Submit.

Format of Legislation

• The Long Title
• The Preamble
• The Enacting Clause
• The Short Title
• Extent and Commencement Clause
• Definitions
• The Operative Section
• Procedural Provisions
• Exceptions and Exemptions Clause
• Offences
• Penalties
• Provisions regarding Delegated Legislation
• Repealing and Saving Clause (if any)
• Miscellaneous Provisions

Formatting Guidelines

• Formatting: The text must be in Times New Roman font with a size of 12. Line spacing should be set to 1.5, and no paragraph spacing is allowed. Margins must be one inch on all sides, and the text alignment should be justified.
• Footnotes: Footnotes should be in Times New Roman font, size 10, with single-line spacing.
• Page Numbers and Page Limit: Page numbers must be placed at the top right-hand corner of each page. The draft must not exceed 25 pages, excluding the cover page.
• Cover Page Requirements: The cover page should include the long title of the bill along with the name of the author(s) and their designation.
• Originality and Organizer’s Authority: The content of the legislation must be original and should not exceed a 25% plagiarism limit. For every percentage above the limit, there will be a deduction of 1 mark. Severe plagiarism may result in disqualification. The decision of the organizers shall be final.

Contact Information

• For any further queries, please send a mail on gcrcjs[at]gnlu.ac.in or contact:
• Student Convenor (GCRCJS): Bhanupratap Singh Rathore, +91 9664338656
• Student Secretary (GCRCJS): Dev Shroff, +91 9820465134

The brochure is here.