Karnataka tightens pub and bar rules after Bengaluru study finds kids drinking from age 8

Pubs, bars, breweries, lounges and restaurants across Karnataka must enforce ID-based age verification, functional CCTV at entry points and zero tolerance for underage service. Order follows a 4,093-student Bengaluru survey showing 33% alcohol use and 18% tobacco use, with onset as early as age 8 and median age 17.

— Filed Mon, 8 Jun, 2026, 18:55 IST · Source Business Today · Latest · Updated

Karnataka has ordered pubs, bars, breweries, lounges and restaurants to enforce strict ID-based age verification, functional CCTV at entry points, and zero tolerance for underage service, following a Bengaluru study showing alcohol use among adolescents starting as young as eight.