'Teer' hits bullseye in Meghalaya, to be livestreamed on Facebook

SHILLONG: 'Teer', the only form of legalized gambling in Meghalaya where people bet on archers, will now be livestreamed on Facebook to avoid crowding due to the Covid-19 pandemic .


"We have decided to livestream arrow shooting and only five bookies will be allowed to witness it to ensure that there is no manipulation," said Philip Gean Khongsngi, president of Khasi Hills Archery Sports Institute (KHASI), which regulates the game in Meghalaya.

He added, "A distance of about five feet from each shooter will be strictly maintained and they will be allotted a proper red mark spot during the shooting after which they shall be given a place with a distance of about six feet," he added.

Last Friday, the state government had decided to allow resumption of non-contact sporting activities, which included archery and the game of numbers.

The regulatory body also decided to reduce the number of arrow shooters from 50 to 30 to ensure physical distancing in the shooting arena. On normal occasions, apart from archers and bookies, 200-300 assemble in the shooting arena at the Polo Grounds in Shillong .

‘Lockdown hit livelihood of around 5,000’

Khongsngi said the lockdown has affected the livelihood of many people dependent on the game. “There are around 5,000 people who are directly employed through ‘Teer’. Moreover, there are more than a lakh who are indirectly employed,” he added.

Scores of people play this game by booking numbers from ‘Teer’ counters. The betting starts from Re 1 up to Rs 100. But there are a few who place bets for thousands of rupees as well. Meghalaya has about 5,000 ‘Teer’ counters across eleven districts of the state. ‘Teer’ was legalized in Meghalaya in the early 80s and is governed by rules framed under the Meghalaya Amusement and Betting Tax Act.