Can You Play Online Casinos Legally in India? India’s Casino Laws Explained

Loads of Indian people like the idea of gambling. That much is clear. And these days, with the advent of online casinos, games like roulette and blackjack and poker are just a click away. But, before you dive in and place your bets, you have to know if it’s safe and legal to do so. So let’s dig into the question of “Is online casino legal in India?”

Are Online Casino Games Legal in India?

It’d be nice and simple to say “Yes, it’s legal.” Or “Nope, it’s illegal” and get this question answered in no time. But sadly, it’s not as easy as that. Not when we’re talking about online gambling in India. Instead, this is a bona fide “gray area” of the legal system, causing all sorts of confusion for the local population.

So, how’s it work? India uses a regional system on this issue. In other words, each state makes up its own laws about online casino playing. So there’s no single unifying federal/national ruling on the issue. And that means that, depending on where you are in the Indian territory, you may have totally different rules to follow than someone in a neighboring state.

Thus, the average Indian can’t just assume that it’s legal or illegal to play online casinos, like 1Win Casino. Instead, they have to find out the situation in their part of the country. Some aspiring gamblers will be lucky and live in a part where it’s fine to play online poker and other games. Others will be less lucky, prohibited entirely from these gaming experiences.

How Online Casino Laws Vary by State

Gambling’s growing bigger than ever. And many Indians would adore playing games like roulette and slots. But not all can. Here’s how the rules vary:

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  Andhra Pradesh: Illegal (According to the Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act of 1974)
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  Arunachal Pradesh: Unclear
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  Assam: Illegal (According to Assam Game and Betting Act of 1970)
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  Bihar: Unclear
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  Chhattisgarh: Unclear
• 
  Goa: Legal, but with some regulations
• 
  Gujarat: Illegal (According to Gujarat Prevention of Gambling Act of 1887)
• 
  Haryana: Unclear
• 
  Himachal Pradesh: Unclear
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  Jharkhand: Unclear
• 
  Karnataka: Illegal (According to Karnataka Police Act of 1963)
• 
  Kerala: Illegal (According to Kerala Gaming Act of 1960)
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  Madhya Pradesh: Unclear
• 
  Maharashtra: Illegal (According to Bombay Wager Act of 1867)
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  Manipur: Unclear
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  Meghalaya: Legal, with some regulations
• 
  Mizoram: Unclear
• 
  Nagaland: Legal, but only for skill-based games
• 
  Odisha: Illegal (According to Odisha Prevention of Gambling Act of 1955)
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  Punjab: Unclear
• 
  Rajasthan: Unclear
• 
  Sikkim: Legal, but with regulations
• 
  Tamil Nadu: Illegal (According to Tamil Nadu Gaming Act of 1930)
• 
  Telangana: Illegal (According to Telangana State Gaming Act)
• 
  Tripura: Unclear
• 
  Uttar Pradesh: Unclear
• 
  Uttarakhand: Unclear
• 
  West Bengal: Legal, but for games of skill only

Just don’t forget, these are only the latest legal rulings at the time of writing. States are regularly reviewing online casino rules and may introduce new ones without much delay. So you have to keep up with the latest developments, wherever you are, to avoid falling foul of any new and unexpected restrictions.

More Important Things to Know About Online Casino Legality in India

Here are a few more key points on the subject of online casino legal in India:

The Public Act of 1867

At the federal level, a lot of discussion around the legality of online casinos is based on quite an old act, the Public Gambling Act (1867). This states that it’s illegal to operate or run a public gambling house, but since this was way before the days of internet and casino apps, it doesn’t hold much sway in terms of online gambling.

Skill and Chance

Many states make distinctions between games that are just luck-based and those that have skill involved. You could say, for instance, poker’s a skill-based game, as the player has a level of control over the outcome and can use tactics and strategies to influence the game. But a lot of slots are just luck-based.

Casinos from Other Countries

There are loads of online casinos that are operated and run from other countries. Controlling those (and who is allowed to play at them) is much harder compared to regulating your own country’s casinos. So it’s another “gray area” about whether you’re allowed to play in casinos that run from other countries, like the U.S. or bits of Europe.

Online Gambling in India: A Legal Minefield

All in all, the situation is quite unclear about online gambling in India. More regulation is needed to simply bring clarity to this concept and let the people know what they can and can’t safely do if they want to play and gamble online. In the meantime, if you’re in India and eager to gamble online, review your state’s laws beforehand.