The question of whether or not internet gambling is legal in India depends on the state. Gambling in the country is regulated by a law from 1857, but each state is allowed to come up with its own laws in regards to internet gambling. But at the same time internet gambling is not illegal in the country.
In less confusing terms, this means that Indians are free to bet since it’s neither legal nor illegal to place bets. All Indians are free to place bets as they see fit as the legality of it all is one big mess. Due to the freedom of information act and various other laws the Indian government is not allowed to pass a law banning internet gambling in the entire country and it’s instead left up to states to decide what they wish to do. Today there are many different websites targeted towards Indians such as Casinowings and many others.
The states in which internet gambling is explicity legal
But there are still some states in which the legality of internet betting is explicitly legal. This concerns all forms of gambling and means that internet poker (something that is extremely popular in India , sports betting, regular casino games found at Bettingguru for example, and everything else is completely legal. The residents of these states which we’re about to list are therefore gambling legally and not just in a strange legal loophole.
The states that have passed laws regulating internet gambling while at the same time making it legal are as of the time of writing are Goa, Sikkim, and Damman. At the same time betting in India is growing rapidly and it’s one of the largest potential markets for international gambling companies.
Will there be tougher regulations?
This is a question that is very difficult to answer. The government does not seem very interested in doing anything about the Indian betting market. Yet.
With the massive rise of interest in betting from regular Indians, something will need to be done to make sure that everything is done by the book and that regular consumers are not taken advantage of by gambling companies. There might be some national guidelines, or there might be more intervention from the states where gambling is seeing the most growth. Regardless, the history of betting in India goes back to English rule. If you’re interested in learning more about the history of gambling in India this is a wonderful resource.
What games are most popular?
Now that we have the regulatory things out of the way, we can start to take a look at what games are the most popular to play amongst Indian gamblers. The gambling habits of Indians look much like the rest of the world, but it can still be fun to get a brief rundown of what people like to spend their time and money on.
Slot machines and videoslots
Slot machines are by far the most popular form of gaming online. These follow the classic setup known and loved from various TV-shows and physical casinos. But there is also a more modern slot machine that is starting to become insanely popular, both in India and the rest of the world.
Video slots are slot machines that have been given some extra spice in the form of tailor made animations and soundtracks. These make it a much more engaging and enjoyable experience to play at these slot machines. Video slots tend to lend themselves mostly towards players who aren’t looking for something that is going to require a ton of concentration or strategy, and instead want something that they can use to wind down with after work.
Classic casino games
Even though some classic casino games have been around for over 200 years many of these games still see massive popularity at online casinos. Games such as blackjack and roulette are very popular and there are often a number of different tables with various minimum bets to ensure that everyone, regardless of the sums they’re comfortable wagering, has a chance to play.
Some casinos have even taken this a step further with live casinos. This is where the players in question follow an actual dealer through a web camera, something that increases immersion immensely while also creating a completely new and exciting experience for the players.
Betting on sports
Betting on sports has for a long time been swept to the side at Indian casinos, but more and more people are starting to dabble in wagering money on a big game. Unsurprisingly, cricket is one of the most popular sports to bet on, with field hockey and football following closely behind. The advent of internet streaming also means that more Indians than before are betting on international sport.