Here’s a complete overview of Indian betting law. So, Is betting legal in India
Contents
Answer: Online betting in India is legal.
Online betting is legal in India.
Each state can decide whether they wish to make laws regarding online gambling. Only a handful of Indian states have yet to pass laws banning online betting.
This means that online gambling is legal in India with the exception of certain states.
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LEGAL DISCLAIMER
Please note: We are not attorneys, advocates, or legal experts. This legal information has been created through extensive research and discussions with experts in the field. Although we have tried our best to answer your question truthfully, we recommend that you consult a lawyer if you need a legally binding answer.
It is crucial that you select a legal site for online betting before you begin
Many of our readers asked us whether online betting in India is legal.
We are aware of your concern and have written this article to help you gamble legally in India.
Many people are confused by the vague and unclear Indian online betting law. We all want to be good citizens and we don’t want to break the law.
We teamed up with top Indian legal experts to find the correct answer.
LEGAL ONLINE BETTING FAQ
Yes. No national laws prohibit Indians from playing online casino games.
There may be laws in some states that restrict the use of casino games.
This is a legal gray area. They aren’t enforced because of the inconsistent nature of Indian gambling laws.
Is betting legal in India: Current legal situation
We have teamed up with Mr. Manoj Mishra (Senior Advocate in the Odisha State Bar Council) to give you the best answer.
He will try to provide us with the best legal and correct information through our interview. Let’s begin at the beginning.
We asked Mr. Mishra a simple question: Is online betting legal in India? Here is his answer:
“The legal situation regarding Indian online gambling sites is a bit murky.” Online betting is not mentioned in the 1867 Public Gaming Act.
- This answer shows that online betting isn’t prohibited by Indian betting laws.
Instead, the Indian government has allowed states to decide whether or not to allow online betting.
We asked Mr. Mishra whether any Indian citizen had ever been charged with using an online gambling site. He replied:
“We are not aware of any Indian being charged or prosecuted for using a betting site.”
- This should calm most people. This answer shows that the government does not go around prosecuting those who engage in online gambling in India.
IN SUMMARY
The Indian law on online betting is still a complex and controversial issue.
Sometimes, federal and local laws can be contradictory.
You will see that Indian legal professionals have their own interpretations.
Online betting is still illegal until the Indian government imposes clearer laws.
We can be happy that we know that no Indian has been charged or convicted of using online gambling sites.
BETTING LAWS IN INDIA: THE BACKGROUND
Gambling was banned in India for the first time during colonial times under the Public Gambling Act of1867.
It was made illegal to offer any gambling services in India and to use or visit a public gambling facility.
Online betting is not mentioned in Indian betting law, as it was established many years ago before the advent of the internet.
The internet is now available, so people are starting to wonder if online betting is legal since it isn’t explicitly prohibited by the law of 1867. The short answer to that question is yes.
If the Indian government wanted to ban online betting completely, they could have amended their law to do so, but they never did.
EACH STATE TO THEIR OWN
The constitution of India was adopted in 1950. It is stated in the constitution that states can make their own gambling laws.
So instead of imposing a federal law banning or legalizing online betting, the central government let the states decide whether to allow or deny online betting within their borders.
Each state has its own laws regarding online betting. Some laws are more stringent than others.
- Example: Games of skill in Maharashtra are permitted, but games of luck are not. This is also true for Karnataka, as well as many other states.
The state of Sikkim is working hard to legalize and regulate online gambling. They are now accepting license applications from online betting operators who wish to offer gambling services in the state.
The laws concerning online gambling are not applicable in most Indian states. This makes it a grey area.
It is legal and illegal in Tamil Nadu to place online bets. Gambling online is legal in all other states except Maharashtra.
Related post: Specifics of IPL Betting in India
Legal games of skill and illegal games of luck
Many states allow games based on skill, but no luck.
What is the difference between a skill game and a luck game?
- A game of skill allows you, the player to increase your chances of winning by learning more about the game.
This logic suggests that online betting should be viewed as a game of skill.
Online betting is more rewarding if you have a better understanding of a sport, team, or tournament.
Example: Let’s suppose Team India plays a match against the West Indies. You have all the information you need about both teams, including the pitch, the conditions, and their form.
This knowledge will increase your chances of winning a correct bet on the outcome than someone who has no knowledge of the game and both teams.
Online betting is therefore clearly a game that requires skill and is legal in many Indian states.
- A game of luck, on the other hand, is a game in which you, as the player, have no influence over the outcome.
Roulette is an example of a game that involves luck.
Your chances of winning at roulette will never change no matter how many times you play it.
After the ball is thrown into the roulette wheel it can land anywhere. Your bet is as good or better than mine.
Cricket is not a sport of skill, but horse race betting is
The Supreme Court of India ruled that horse racing betting was legalized in 1996 because it was skill-based and not luck-based.
This begs the question: Why is horse racing betting based on skill, while football and cricket betting is not? Predicting the outcome of a cricket match requires at least the same skill level as it takes to predict its outcome.
Horse racing betting is a game of skill, but cricket betting isn’t!
While we agree that horse racing betting should be legalized, it is odd to distinguish this sport from other sports.
Our view is that the reason policymakers legalized horse racing betting is that they realize that it would end horse breeding in India which has been a highly profitable and prominent industry. That’s why horse racing needs to become part of sports betting in India.
You might also wonder if it is not hypocritical to ban betting but allow it to be legalized in a select few sports like horse racing or rummy.
This is an excellent example of India’s contradictory betting laws.
- The government must be consistent in its policymaking, and legalize gambling on all forms of sports throughout India.
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IN INDIA, WHEN WILL ONLINE BITING BE AVAILABLE?
It is not known when Indian online gambling will become fully legal.
It could happen next year. It may not happen at all.
Live-Score will be there for you no matter what, so you know that you are safe and legal online.
- Don’t be alarmed. Despite the uncertainty and ambiguity of current betting laws, it is still legal and safe to place online bets in India.
We recommend joining one of these legal betting sites to get the best possible start. You may also like Bet365 Review.
