Gambling has always been very present in India. It has been part of their culture and history for a very long time. Offshore online casinos are perfectly legal, but the landbased gambling scene is heavily regulated, with the exception of certain forms of gambling such as lotteries and horse racing.
Let’s take a closer look at this situation in more detail, below.
What is legal?
India classifies gambling into two separate categories: games of skill and games of chance. Gambling is a state subject where only states in India are allowed to create laws for gambling within respective states. The 1867 Gambling Act is the general law that condones the operating of unregulated casino venues. If casino providers are caught without a license, there is a fine of ₹200 or 3 months in prison. The Act also prohibits visits to gambling venues. In this case, players can be fined ₹100 or can either spend up to a month in prison.
Online fun on the Rise
Online gambling is still on the rise in India. Back in 2010, Sikkim planned to provide 3 local online gambling licenses, however, this fell through even though people seemed keen on participating in online casinos. As of now, Sikkim allows players to take part in online lotteries, where players from all over India can place their bets. However, Indian casinos cannot promote casino providers or casino games, sports betting and bingo.
But there is some good news. It isn’t illegal for Indian players to sign up and place bets with offshore casino providers. In this case, the only legality Indian players have to comply to is finding providers that offer Indian Rupees as a payment method.
