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Gambling in India varies by state as states in India are entitled to formulate their own laws for gambling activities. Some states like Goa have legalised casinos. Common gambling activities like organized betting is restricted except for selective categories including lotteries and horse racing.
In the 21st century, more people have started making cash bets upon prohibited betting and gambling activities in India. Critics of gambling claim that it leads to crime, corruption and money laundering. However, proponents of regulated gambling argue that it can be a huge source of revenue for the state. Casinos in Goa contributed Rs. 135 crores to the state revenue in 2013.[1]
Casinos now operate in Goa, Daman and Sikkim.[2]
Gambling is a state subject, and only states in India are entitled to formulate laws for gambling activities within their respective states. The Public Gambling Act of 1867 is a central law that prohibits running or being in charge of a public gambling house. The penalty for breaking this law is a fine of ₹200 or imprisonment of up to 3 months. Additionally, this Act prohibits visiting gambling houses. A fine of ₹100 or imprisonment of up to one month is the penalty.[3]
Indian law classifies games into two broad categories viz. game of skill and game of chance. The Supreme Court of India has, for instance, held[4]
The game of Rummy is not a game entirely of chance like the ‘three-card’ game mentioned in the Madras case to which we were referred. The ‘three card’ game which goes under different names such as ‘flush’, ‘brag’ etc. is a game of pure chance. Rummy, on the other hand, requires a certain amount of skill because the fall of the cards has to be memorised and the building up of Rummy requires considerable skill in holding and discarding cards. We cannot, therefore, say that the game of Rummy is a game of entire chance. It is mainly and preponderantly a game of skill.
The Information Technology Act 2000 regulates cyber activities in India does not mention the word Gambling or Betting thereby the act was left for interpretation by the Courts which have refused to examine the matter. Further, online gambling is a banned offense in the state of Maharashtra under the 'Bombay Wager Act'.
Only three states allow casinos, Goa , Daman and Sikkim.[5] There are two casinos in Sikkim called Casino Sikkim and Casino Mahjong and 10 in Goa, of which six are land based and four are floating casinos that operate on the Mandovi River. The floating casinos in Goa are Casino Deltin Royale, Casino Deltin Jaqk, Casino Pride and Casino Pride 2. While the first two are controlled by the Deltin Group, the latter two are managed by the Pride Group. According to the Goa, Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act, 1976 casinos can be set up only at five star hotels or offshore vessels with the prior permission of the government. This has led the Deltin Group to open the first land based Casino in Daman which is open now. News reports also suggest that Visakhapatnam is also being looked on as the next casino destination.[6]
Online gambling is in its infancy in India, but Sikkim planned to offer three online gambling licences in 2010. This failed despite India being the most sought out country for online gambling.[7] Sikkim also permits an online lottery, which takes bets from players throughout India. It was expected that other states would follow Sikkim, thereby opening up a major online gambling market throughout India.
Even though Indian casinos cannot promote or have sites that promote online gambling games such as casino, sports betting and bingo, it is not illegal for non-Indian casino companies (so called offshore companies) to have sites that focus on Indian players. The only requirement from a legal point of view is that the offshore casinos have to offer Indian Rupees as a payment method for Indian players. Although this is not accurate anymore since January 2020 as the states Telangana and Andhra Pradesh banned all online gambling for Indians. Anyone breaking this new law will receive up to one year in prison or a fine.[8]
Despite the existing prohibitive legislations, there is extensive illegal gambling throughout the country. The Indian gambling market is estimated to be worth US$60 billion per year, of which about half is illegally bet.[9] According to the Indian National Newspaper, the Chief Executive officer for the International Cricket Council (ICC) said he was in favour of legalising betting in sports. He believes the illegal funds profited are through underground bookies that used the money to fund terrorism and drugs.[10] Many Indian professionals as well as online forums have urged the government to introduce legal but regulated gambling in India to bring the gambling economy out of the grip of mafia and underground dons.[11]
One of the biggest obstacles faced by sports bettors in India is the fact that depositing to foreign bookies is extremely difficult. Typically, the majority of users deposit to online bookies using Moneybookers or Neteller. Some attempts to deposit using a Visa or MasterCard may fail. The same is true of online bank transfers. In order to circumvent these blocks, savvy internet users have started to use e wallet services for depositing. These services, enable users to fund an online betting account in Rupees. This is important because it avoid legal issues that may have arisen out of F.E.M.A Foreign Exchange law.
India is one of the world’s fastest-growing online gambling markets. The popularity of iGaming in the country has grown exponentially since the industry’s inception over the past decade or so. In India, online gambling has become a popular pastime, partly due to tech advancements and a cost reduction of smartphones. Indian gamblers love to play casino classics like roulette, blackjack and poker, but also like to spin the slots reels.
Gambling online in India falls into a legal grey area, leaving many Indian gamblers in the dark. I’ve decided to take an in-depth approach to the matter, which will hopefully help those who remain slightly perplexed. In this article, you’ll learn things like:
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Online gambling in India is still in its infancy, with only Nagaland and Sikkim having laws enacted into the virtual casino scene. Most Indian gambling laws are obsolete and directed at land-based casinos. According to the Public Gambling Act from 1867, any form of gambling is illegal in the country. But when it comes to online gambling on sites which servers are located offshore, the laws fall flat.
There is no Indian law that forbids gamblers to play at an online live casino located outside of the country. Operators based in foreign countries do not need to abide by the Indian law. The only exception is Maharashtra, where the betting laws are stringently applied.
According to the Federal Information Technology Act from 2008, Indian internet service providers must block foreign betting sites. However, this law doesn’t forbid Indian players from accessing casino websites.
Long story short, playing at an online casino located outside India is not illegal. Indian players can:
When choosing an online casino, payments are always a significant aspect for consideration and, unfortunately, one of the biggest obstacles faced by Indian punters. Only a handful of foreign operators accept deposits in Indian Rupees. Credit/debit card and wire transfers are standard, but they’re not always the safest option.
That said, e-Wallets are becoming more popular among Indian punters. Payment providers such as PayPal, Neteller, AstroPay and Skrill are currently the best methods for online gambling in India.
e-Wallets are also more convenient and much faster than other payment gateways. For example, the withdrawal processing time for e-Wallets is around 24 hours whereas, if you cash out using bank transfer, it may take up to 10 days until the transaction is completed.
India’s gambling industry has blossomed over the last five years in particular, with reputable iGaming brands that possess coveted gambling licenses offered by the states of Nagaland and Sikkim. Although these are the only Indian states offering licenses, I believe that many more will follow their example. This move would open up the existing market and make gambling more straightforward for established fans of online gaming in India. The future indeed looks fantastic!
Here, I’ve selected the best gaming sites that welcome players from India. The operators we choose are nitpicked and put player protection as the number one priority. We also try to review each casino operator with absolute objectivity since my goal is to help Indian punters find a place where they can gamble in a safe casino environment. Here is what we expect from top Indian casinos:
You should play at these casinos because they tick all the right boxes, from customer service to payment methods and game selection. These sites welcome Indian players with open arms and, as a token of appreciation for registering and their site, they will offer astonishing bonuses.
I know how much Indian punters love casino games, which is why I handpicked sites that offer all the popular casino games. But the games must be provably fair and random; otherwise, these gaming hubs wouldn’t make it on the list.
As for customer support, I’m very much aware of the fact that Indian players would find themselves in unfamiliar territory on these sites, which is why customer support assistance must be readily available at all times.
When you decide to take casino action on, you will have much more to look forward to than simply access to a plethora of casino games. There are other features and incentives that will help you get started and continue helping you throughout your gambling adventure.
These benefits come in the form of casino bonuses and promotions. So, you should look for:
Along with the casino gaming, you should look for sites that over a live dealer platform. These games make you feel like you’re at a brick-and-mortar casino, complete with a live dealer via HD video feed. Live dealer casinos offer a more immersive casino experience, and Indian punters love it.
When looking for the best sites to take care of your online gambling desires, you should look for casinos where you can make transactions in Indian Rupees. Not many operators offer this option, but you should be able to find one or two of them. And if not, it’s not a big deal, as many of the casinos are multi-currency friendly, and this means that you can play in Euros, USD, and several other currencies.
If you’ve been to India, then you know that the gambling culture here is unlike anywhere else in the world. India is home to millions of people who love to win big playing casino games.
Players here love all sorts of games, including slots, blackjack, roulette and video poker, but they also love local games like Flish, Passa, Paplu and Andar Bahar.
Players in India have a plethora of options to choose from when it comes to playing casino games online. But not all casinos are created equal, which is why you should choose your gaming destination carefully — you want to have a peace of mind knowing that you’re playing at a 100% safe and legitimate site. That’s why we only recommend casinos that are licensed by esteemed international regulatory bodies.
Indian players can find a top online casino if they do their homework. It may be challenging to find a casino that ticks all the right boxes for you, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t get in on the action on your own terms. And if you need help in finding that, take a look at our FAQ section below. We’ve collected all the most common questions from Indian players. Read on!