Is Online Gambling Legal in India? Complete guide (2023)
In this guide, we will answer whether playing or betting on online casinos, lottery sites and betting sites in India is legal for players in India.
So first of all and to save time, the short answer is - Yes, it is generally legal for Indian players to play and bet on online gambling operators! You are invited to also check our current top 3 of regulated online gambling sites, we only choose the best ones.
But even though the short answer to this question is yes, there are some more factors to consider and we will further expand on this topic throughout this guide.
We at Jackpotking.in hope to help you get better knowledge on this subject so you can make an informed decision for yourself regarding using online gambling sites in India. As this topic is generally in the grey area in India, we fully understand that many questions stay unanswered regarding the legality of online gambling in India, and with this guide, we hope to give you a complete picture of this subject.
Note:
- We at Jackpotking have gathered the best online information we could on this subject but we must inform you that this article hasn't been written by professional legal consultants, lawyers, or advocates. The responsibility for the usage of the information on this page is on the reader (User) only and not on Jackpotking or its writers. If you require more legally professional advice we encourage you to seek guidance from a professional lawyer/legal consultant.
India’s current status regarding online gambling (2023)
India has a complex view regarding all types of gambling in general and online gambling specifically, we can sum up the main points to the following:
- There are several laws banning physical gambling but three specific states which are Goa, Daman, and Sikkim do allow gambling, and legal casinos actually operate in those states.
- Currently in 2023 online gambling is also officially legal and allowed in Goa, Daman, and Sikkim.
- Regarding other states, each has its own specific legislation regarding gambling, but the states that ban online gambling in India currently at 2023 are Assam, Odisha, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
- Apart from the states in the three points above, all the other states in India generally have no federal or state laws against online gambling or against playing/betting on international offshore online gambling sites and therefore it’s allowed to use online gambling sites for players from India (On all states apart from the four states in the previous point) currently.
- The only legal requirement for those offshore online gambling sites that target Indian players/bettors is to offer INR as a payment method.
Also, a very important last point for consideration:
- The four states Assam, Odisha, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh are generally banning online gambling sites by law, but most of them are unlikely to prosecute people from India that are playing on international online gambling sites out of India. However, potential gamblers from these states should know that there is a risk for them as online gambling is banned in their state.
Let’s take a look at India’s gambling related laws
India’s gambling laws are generally divided into federal laws and states laws, here are the most relevant ones:
The Public Gambling Act, 1867
This federal law is over 150 years old and basically defines gambling as illegal in India, its purpose was to stop the gambling houses that were operated in the Indian subcontinent.
This specific law has been legislated by the government of India and is still in full effect in many states in India, apart from several states which have decided to create their own specific regulations regarding gambling.
This law also defines two different types of games – Games of chance and games of skill and tends to ban games of chance more easily than those of skills.
The most important thing about The Public Gambling Act is that it hasn’t changed since 1867, which of course means it doesn’t specify online gambling as illegal. The main meaning of this is that by this law online gambling isn’t illegal in most of the states in India other than those that chose to directly ban it. Online gambling according to this law is in the grey area, it isn’t illegal but isn’t specified as legal as well, and this means that potential players and bettors from India aren’t breaking this law by playing casino games online or betting online.
Information Technology Act, 2000
This federal law has been legislated in 2000 regarding cybercrimes and specifies the definitions of those crimes as well as the penalties for each type of cybercrime. Similar to The Public Gambling Act, of 1867, this law also applies to all the Indian states apart from those who decided to enact their own regulations regarding cybercrimes. This law doesn’t specify online gambling as cybercrime as well so online gambling is in the grey area here as well – Not illegal but hasn’t been directly specified as legal, and no legal charges have been made under the power of this law regarding online gambling. Summing up shortly, The Information Technology Act, 2000, isn’t specifying online gambling as a cybercrime, therefore online gambling is not illegal in India. This means online gamblers from India aren’t breaking this law or doing something illegal according to this law.
Gambling-related State Laws
Each state in India can have its own laws and regulations regarding gambling which makes things a little more complex because the actual mindset toward gambling can change with those state rules. For example, as we mentioned before online gambling and traditional gambling are allowed legally in the states of Goa, Daman, and Sikkim because those states have specific regulations and laws that allow gambling in general and online gambling as well. Another example we mentioned in the states of Assam, Odisha, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh directly define online gambling as illegal by their laws and regulations. There are also different approaches and interpretations to the main laws by different states as well as the approach to games of chances and skill. We will sum up the states law topic by pointing out the current gambling law status section above as the main guideline, but we advise you to personally check and research your specific state’s sentiment to online gambling before choosing to gamble online and hold no responsibility for your personal choices and actions.
Since online gambling continues to see a massive spike in both the number of players and revenue. Jackpotking.in concentrates on visiting, reviewing, rating, and ultimately finding the safest, most fair, and of course legal, regulated, and secure online casino and sports betting sites.
Our passion for guiding players towards legal gambling and betting sites in India is driven by statistics. Figures showing the online actions of over 18’s living in India. In the past decade, no less than 80% of Indians enjoyed either slots, table games, or sports betting online.
We invite you to check our current top 3 of regulated online gambling sites below:
Games of skill vs games of chance
The Indian law, especially The Public Gambling Act, 1867, differentiates between games of skill and games of chance. This definition of skill games vs chance games affects the status of specific games in many states in India so it’s also important to know.
Games of chance
Those games are basically pure luck games that aren’t affected by the player’s abilities and knowledge. The player generally can’t boost his chances to win in those games by being skilled and knowledgeable in those types of games. Some examples of games of chance are Baccarat, slots games, and lotteries.
Games of Skill
On the contrary to chance games, skill games are actually affected by the player’s skills and knowledge of the game. With skill games, experience and knowledge on a specific game actually highly boosts your chances to win than on pure chance games. Good examples of skill games are poker, blackjack, and numerous sport betting variations.
Interesting facts about skill and chance games in India:
♠ Most of the following points are about physical gambling and betting in India. Regarding online gambling specifically, please check our relevant section about the current general status of online gambling in India.
- Most casino games like slots and table games such as blackjack, teen patti, roulette, and baccarat are considered chance-based and treated as gambling and betting activities in most states.
Regarding poker, it’s mostly defined as game a of chance, although some variations are classified as games of skill in some Indian states like West Bengal and Nagaland and hence are permitted there.- Horse Race Betting is considered a game of skill in many Indian states and is allowed in some of them.
- Lotteries, while considered pure games of chance, are allowed to be organized by the state governments but private lotteries aren’t allowed.
- Rummy is considered mainly a game of skill. Surprisingly though, blackjack as mentioned before is mainly considered a game of chance even though there are many people worldwide who define it as a game of skill.
Is online betting legal in India?
Regarding online sport betting, the ball is generally in the hands of India’s government and specifically the hands of the Government’s Court in India. The legality of online sport betting and online casino sites is in a limbo states – Not officially legal but not illegal by the federal laws. India’s online gambling legal status will stay in a grey area until the government takes the necessary steps to enforce applicable laws.
Online sports betting is not illegal in India, which means players from India placing bets on online sports betting sites located out of India are not breaking any law.
Right now, the Indian Constitution took another way out, which is dividing the law-making power between the states. With gambling now falling within the jurisdictive powers of each state, most prohibit gambling but online gambling and specifically online sports betting aren’t considered illegal.
All the mentioned above means that betting on sports like cricket, football, kabaddi, and many others on online gambling sites that are not located in India is generally possible and no law is broken However, we encourage you to have a look at the current general status of online gambling in India and research the specific laws and regulations of the Indian state you live in before deciding to bet online.
Is betting legal in India?
Unlike the paragraph before about online betting, the legal situation regarding physical betting in India is different – Generally by the federal laws betting on most games physically is illegal, but each state’s regulations and laws also have an effect on this situation.
For example, in the states of Goa, Daman, and Sikkim gambling and betting are generally allowed so they are an example of pro-gambling state regulations and laws.
A contrary example is the states of Assam, Odisha, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh which not only prohibit physical betting, but also online betting and gambling in general.
There are also specific sports that have special status, for example betting on horse racing is considered a skill game by many states in India and therefore in those states physical betting on those races is legally allowed.
To sum up, generally, physical betting in India is mainly prohibited by the Indian federal laws. However, there are specific states that have specific laws and regulations that do allow betting legally.
Is online casino legal in India?
Regarding the legality of online casinos in India, again the answer is the same – Not illegal by law so it is possible unless there are specific state laws and regulations that say otherwise. For example, states like Assam, Odisha, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh have specifically banned online gambling by their laws so playing in online casinos for Indian players from those states is considered illegal by law.
As mentioned before on this page, most casino games are considered games of chance by the Indian federal laws, including slot games and table games like blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and others. The Indian federal laws generally speak about physical gambling and casino games and aren’t mentioning online gambling in general and casino games specifically.
Therefore, as mentioned in the previous section, the legality of online casino and online sports betting in India is in the grey area – Not officially legal but again, not illegal by the Indian federal laws.
To sum up, playing online casino games online on online casino sites that target Indian players is generally possible and not illegal for players from India.
- Please check our special section on the current legal status of online gambling in India to get more specific insights before choosing to play casino games online.
Is online lottery legal in India?
Generally speaking, the online lottery isn’t illegal in India. It’s basically possible to play lottery online on international and offshore lottery sites without breaking the law.
Regarding playing the lottery physically or locally in India, the lottery is considered a game of chance but has a “Special Status” in some Indian states. There are 13 states in India that have legalized lottery and on the other hand in the other 15 states, the physical lottery is illegal. Please check out our online lottery in India page to learn about the specific states.
To sum up, playing lottery online is possible in India as it’s not illegal but playing physically depends on each state’s laws and regulations.
Two important factors to consider when gambling on legal online gambling sites
There are two major obstacles to face before gambling at legal online gambling sites in India.
The first and very important one is to find an online gambling site that is regulated by one of the world-renowned gambling commissions.
The second is to make sure that this regulated online gambling site is accepting not only players from India but also Indian Rupees, and this site should have viable payment methods for Indian players.
1. Finding regulated online gambling sites
Strict gambling regulations enforced by reputable gambling authorities offer Indian players safe online betting and casino environment.
It’s very important to make sure before opting to gamble on a gambling site, that this site is actually regulated and approved by one of the top worldwide gambling commissions and authorities.
Online brands approved by the following gambling authorities offer Indian players a safe, fair, and private experience:
- United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC): Prevents gambling from becoming a source or being associated as a way to support disorder or crime. Ensuring gambling is conducted at all times openly and fairly and that children and the vulnerable are protected.
- Malta Gambling Commission (MGA): Focus on regulating all sectors of gambling and ensuring gambling remains transparent and fair. The goal is to prevent corruption, crime, and money laundering while protecting the vulnerable and minors.
- Government of Curacao: Strives to protect the stability and integrity of the gambling industry by ensuring all gambling is conducted responsibly, honestly, and free of corruption and crime.
- Alderney Gambling Control Commission: Sets a regulatory gambling environment that meets the highest standards in transparency. Focused on ensuring fairness and keeping integrity in online gambling.
- Kahnawake Gambling Commission: Protecting all players while regulating all betting and online casino sites. Preventing corruption, fraud, and any form of crime while focused on protecting minors.
2. Finding suitable payment methods
The majority of online gambling enthusiasts in India deposit via one of India’s top 3 payment methods which are Paytm, Phonepe, and Google-Pay but there are many others available to deposit and withdraw from for Indian players.
Those 3 payment methods and others come as successful payment solutions for online gambling lovers in India that attempt to use MasterCard or Visa or bank transfers but fail on many occasions. As mentioned, apart from those top 3 methods there are other popular and excellent payment methods like Skrill, Neteller, Astropay, various E-wallets, and many more.
To sum up, if depositing by credit card or bank transfer doesn’t work for you, the methods we mentioned and many others are the smart ways to successfully deposit and withdraw in Rupees quickly. The added value of those methods is that they allow you to avoid any legal issues that could arise from the Foreign Exchange Law.
Jackpotking.in To the Rescue!
Jackpotking.in comes to the rescue and guides online gambling lovers from India towards the best online gambling sites in India. Be it online casino sites, online sport betting sites or online lottery site, Jackpotking has got you covered and will only offer you regulated high quality sites to ensure you enjoy a secure, quality and legal online gambling experience.
While the gambling laws in India are offering a complex answer, online gambling on offshore gambling sites offering payment in Rupees is currently not illegal on almost all of the Indian states.
Summing up, the all the above generally means that players from India engaging in online casino gaming, online lottery and online sports betting is not breaking the current laws in India.
- We still strongly advice you to check our dedicated current status of online gambling in India before choosing to gamble online. Jackpotking is only a recommendation site and doesn’t hold any responsibility for any of your actions, therefore we strongly recommend you to also personally research the topic yourself according to the specific state you are living in.
Legal online gambling in India – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is online casino legal in India?
Just like online gambling in general, playing on online casinos in India is not illegal but we encourage you to check your state specific status regarding online gambling before choosing to play on online casino sites.
Is online betting legal in India?
Online betting on offshore international sport betting sites is mainly not illegal in India, thus possible in most states. However we advice you to check your state's specific attitude and laws towards online betting before betting on online betting sites.
Is betting legal in India?
Physical betting is mainly illegal in India, contrary to online betting. Some states such as Goa, Daman, and Sikkim have laws allowing betting but many other states are prohibiting physical betting. We therefore recommend you to check your state's specific status on this matter in order to avoid breaking the law.
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