A Closer Look at the Online Gambling Industry in India
The online gambling market in India has experienced tremendous expansion in recent years. With more than 900 million internet users, India is one of the largest markets for online gambling and gaming and offers enormous potential to both local and international operators.
A significant number of people use smartphones to access online casinos and betting platforms, which makes the rise of mobile gaming in particular revolutionary. Therefore, the popularity of mobile gambling has increased and a wide variety of people play casino games, sports betting and online poker. Furthermore, the rapid increase of digital payment systems such as mobile wallets and UPI (Unified Payments Interface) has facilitated financial transactions and supported the expansion of the industry.
Online gambling in India has also been influenced by the country’s rich cultural diversity. Traditional gambling games such as rummy, teen patti and other card games that have long been part of Indian culture have been successfully digitised by online platforms, making them more widely available.
Despite the rapid rise in popularity, India’s online gambling market is not without its challenges, especially when it comes to the legal framework. The country’s complex legal system and various state laws significantly hinder the uncontrolled growth of the industry. Operators find it difficult to navigate the market due to the confusion and uncertainty caused by the lack of a unified national law.
Gambling Regulations: Is Online Gambling Legal in India?
India has a complex and disjointed legal gambling environment. As the Indian constitution allows for state-level gambling regulation, different jurisdictions have different laws. The Public Gambling Act of 1867, prohibits and permits certain forms of betting, it does not explicitly address gaming at online casinos. However, each state can create and implement its own laws to regulate gambling activities.
States such as Sikkim and Goa have legalised land-based casinos and also have some regulation of gambling over the internet. For example, Sikkim issues licences for online sports betting and poker, while Goa is known for its land-based casinos and cruise casinos operating on the Mandovi River. In contrast, states such as Telangana and Maharashtra have enacted stricter laws; some have even completely banned online gaming platforms within their borders.
In 2018, the Supreme Court of India ruled that rummy and poker could be classified as games of skill, which means they are legal to play online in most states. However, games of chance, such as roulette and slot machines, remain illegal unless specifically permitted by state laws.
Pros 
Cons 
