Find out everything you need to know about online casino laws in India and whether it is legal and safe to play at Indian online casinos
Many Indians love the idea of gambling. That’s clear. And these days, with the advent of online casinos, games like roulette, blackjack and poker are just a click away. But before you start betting, you need to know if it is safe and legal. So let’s tackle the question “Is online casino legal in India?”
Are online casino games legal in India?
It would be nice and simple to say “Yes, it’s legal.” Or “No, that’s illegal” and you’ll get the answer to this question quickly. But unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Not when we are talking about online gambling in India. Instead, this is a bona fide “grey area” of the legal system, causing all kinds of confusion for locals.
So, how’s it going? India uses a regional system for this issue. In other words, each state makes its own laws regarding online casino gaming. So there is no single federal/national decision on the matter. And that means that depending on where you are in Indian territory, you may have completely different rules to follow than someone in a neighboring country.
So, the average Indian cannot just assume that it is legal or illegal to play online casinos, e.g 1Win the casino. Instead, they need to find out what the situation is in their part of the country. Some aspiring gamblers will be lucky enough to live in an area where it’s okay to play online poker and other games. Others will be less fortunate, as they will be completely banned from these gaming experiences.
How online casino laws vary by state
Gambling getting bigger than ever. And many Indians would love to play games like roulette and slot machines. But not everyone can. Here’s how the rules differ:
- Andhra Pradesh: Illegal (under the Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act, 1974)
- Arunachal Pradesh: Unclear
- Assam: Illegal (under the Assam Gaming and Betting Act, 1970)
- Bihar: Unclear
- Chhattisgarh: Unclear
- Goa: legal, but with some regulations
- Gujarat: Illegal (under the Gujarat Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887)
- Haryana: Unclear
- Himachal Pradesh: Unclear
- Jharkhand: Unclear
- Karnataka: Illegal (under the Karnataka Police Act, 1963)
- Kerala: Illegal (under Kerala Gaming Act 1960)
- Madhya Pradesh: Unclear
- Maharashtra: Illegal (under Bombay Betting Act 1867)
- Manipur: Unclear
- Meghalaya: Legal, with some regulations
- Mizoram: Unclear
- Nagaland: Legal but only for skill based games
- Odisha: Illegal (under Odisha Prevention of Gambling Act, 1955)
- Punjab: Unclear
- Rajasthan: Unclear
- Sikkim: Legal but with regulations
- Tamil Nadu: Illegal (under Tamil Nadu Gaming Act 1930)
- Telangana: Illegal (as per Telangana State Gaming Act)
- Tripura: Unclear
- Uttar Pradesh: Unclear
- Uttarakhand: Unclear
- West Bengal: Legal but only for dexterity games
Just remember, these are only the latest legal rulings at the time of writing. States regularly revise online casino rules and can introduce new ones without much delay. So you need to stay up to date with the latest developments, wherever you are, to avoid any new and unexpected restrictions.
More important things to know about the legality of online casinos in India
Here are some more key points about online casino legality in India:
Public law from 1867
At the federal level, much of the debate about the legality of online casinos is based on a fairly old law, the Public Gambling Act (1867). It states that it is illegal to operate or operate a public casino, but since this was long before the days of the internet and casino apps, it doesn’t have much impact on online gambling.
Skill and opportunity
Many states distinguish between games based solely on luck and those involving skill. One could say, for example, that poker is a skill based gamesince the player has some level of control over the outcome and can use tactics and strategies to influence the game. But many slots are based on luck alone.
Casinos from other countries
There are tons of online casinos that are run by and run from other countries. Controlling them (and who is allowed to play in them) is much more difficult compared to regulating casinos in one’s own country. So that’s another “grey area” around whether you’re allowed to play at casinos run from other countries, like the US or parts of Europe.
Online Gambling in India: A Legal Minefield
Overall, the online gambling situation in India is quite unclear. More regulation is needed to simply clarify this concept and let people know what they can and cannot do safely if they want to play and gamble online. Meanwhile, if you are in India and keen on it gamble onlinecheck your state’s laws before doing so.
