Legal Online Gambling Sites In India

1. Legal Online Cricket Betting Sites In India
2. Legal Online Gambling In India
3. Legal Online Betting Sites In India

Gaming laws are somewhat restrictive on paper in India, but a close look at the reality of the situation shows that all forms of gambling are widespread in India. To begin, it is estimated that Indians wager the equivalent of $60 billion a year both online and in the real world. An example of how a licensed and regulated betting site impacts you is the responsible gambling feature on the top betting sites in India. These betting sites (regulated) comply with the rules of promoting responsible gambling and therefore, offer features that help players monitor and control their betting habits, set a limit to their spending. This page was developed by a team of legal Indian online gambling experts and is a resource for knowledge on the subject. Our site contains relative information to India online gambling, including what types of gambling to expect, the best online venues, India gambling laws, as well as some interesting facts on the industry.

Secure And Trusted Source For Indian Players

When it comes to legal online gambling in India, players can enjoy a hotbed of online casino, poker and sports betting action—mainly through licensed offshore gambling operators. Out of all these gambling forms, sports betting is arguably the most popular worldwide, but the casino sector of online gambling draws a large amount of traffic with its slot and table game options. If you are an Indian resident interested in learning about online gambling, you have come to the right place. This page was developed by a team of legal Indian online gambling experts and is a resource for knowledge on the subject. Our site contains relative information to India online gambling, including what types of gambling to expect, the best online venues, India gambling laws, as well as some interesting facts on the industry. Feel free to browse through the page to learn more about the legal online Indian gambling market.

Is Online Gambling Legal In India?

India is a historical country, and so are its gambling laws. Indian gambling is enforced by 3 laws dating all the way back to the 19^th century. You may have guessed that there is no mention of online gambling in these laws, and if so, you are correct. The 3 main gambling laws in India are the Public Gambling Act of 1867, Prize Competition Act (1955) and the Information Technology Act of 2000. Individual states/provinces have their own gambling laws in place, and 2 have introduced legislation allowing for brick-and-mortar casinos—Sikkim and Goa. The former state is the first to launch an Indian based online gambling site. All other online gambling action is hosted by legally licensed offshore gambling operators. Residents are legally allowed to use these sites without fear of prosecution. With millions of inhabitants, India provides a lucrative market for online gambling brands to cater to. These sites feature online casinos, poker and sports betting options.

Top Online Gambling Sites Accepting Indian Players

Only Reputable And Trustworthy Sites Listed

Forms Of Legal Online Gambling Available To Indian Players

Online Casino Games

Legal Online Casinos in India - Online casinos are known for their expansive options regarding game selection, bonuses and more. Our recommended India friendly online casinos are no different. Indian residents will find favorites like India accessible online slots (usually hundreds of variations), blackjack, baccarat, roulette, pai gow and video poker. There are also specialty games like Keno and Bingo available. Online casino bonuses give players a generous financial incentive to keep playing. Live dealer games put a real-life spin on the online action, emulating that of a brick-and-mortar casino.

Online Poker

Legal Online Poker in India - Online poker is one of the most lucrative gambling industries throughout the world. Players from all over compete in major tournaments, both land-based and online. Indian online poker sites feature several game types, incremental poker bonuses and multiple tournaments to keep things competitive. Live dealer games put players at a real-life table through a live camera feed.

Online Sports Betting

Legal Online Sports Betting in India - With billions of sports wagers placed annually, the sports betting market is flush with activity. Cricket and football are among the most popular sports betting options, though India horse betting and racing falls close behind. Our top-rated India online sportsbooks offer betting lines from international sports and wagering types to accommodate all different kinds of bettors. Betting lines are updated frequently to keep in line with the latest fixtures and sportsbook bonuses allow bettors to spread their wagers across more lines.

Legalized Indian Based Online Gambling - What If?

Indian gamblers use licensed offshore gambling operators due to the standing gambling laws. Only one state—Sikkim—has legal Indian based online gambling. While the online gambling market is already heavily populated with Indian gamblers, a legalized India based framework would bring several benefits, including:

• Create jobs
• Bring in foreign investment
• Give less incentive to use offshore brands
• Open new sources of tax revenue income

The Indian gambling market is estimated to be in the billions in terms of potential revenue, so lawmakers are missing out on a viable source of income by not regulating the industry. Meanwhile, offshore operators make more off Indian players.

Are There Taxes Taken Out Of Indian Online Gambling Winnings?

Technically, yes. A uniform goods and services tax (GST) was implemented in April 2017. This tax bracket groups several industries together, including gambling. Casinos and betting operators are within the 28% tax level. Offshore gambling operators are not technically considered part of this group, however there is a somewhat vague provision for “all other services not specific elsewhere,” and anything in this category is subject to 18% tax. Whichever country the offshore brand is located will take away their own percentage of taxes from your winnings.

What About Satta Matka?

Indian Satta Matka is an older form of gambling that gained a lot of notoriety in its heyday, but has since fallen off. It is a game of chance that used to be very popular amongst Indian gamblers. The game was originally created by Ratan Khatri in the 1970s and was popular for about 2 decades. It is played by randomly selecting 3 numbers between 0-9. All 3 numbers are added up. For example, if you selected 4, 8 and 5, your total would be 17. The result is the final number given in the draw, and the second digit (if present) is the game determinant. In this example, your draw would be 4, 8, 5 *7. Another 3 numbers are drawn ranging between 0-9 and the process is repeated. A winning result depends on the bet you make. You can bet on the outcome of all 8 digits, the first digit, third, etc. Game results are shown throughout the day, so there are multiple opportunities to bet on card drawings. Available bets depend on the bookie.

“Satta” is a Hindi word used to describe betting in India (in a broad sense). The game of Satta Matka is not offered in any legal casinos, nor any reputable online casinos. Players now revert to other online lottery games and games of chance. There are plenty of other satta games available to satisfy the needs of players from India, but there are still Satta Matka enthusiasts who play the game via illegal avenues. Keno is an example of a casino game that emulates the basics of Satta Matka.

Can I Gamble With Indian Rupees?

Yes. Our recommended online gambling websites accept Indian rupees (INR) and so do our India mobile gambling apps. Online rupee gambling is convenient for Indian players because there are no currency exchanges required before engaging in online casinos, poker or sports betting. Players can also request withdrawals with Indian rupees.

Gaming laws are somewhat restrictive on paper in India, but a close look at the reality of the situation shows that all forms of gambling are widespread in India. To begin, it is estimated that Indians wager the equivalent of $60 billion a year both online and in the real world. The country clearly has a lot of potential owing to an expanding middle class and a population approaching 1.3 billion people.

Best Indian Betting Sites

I’ll start with a quick summary of how Indian betting sites operate today and then follow that up with more detail below. The basic of it is this: various laws may or may not apply to online betting depending on how you interpret them and in which state you live. However, it is fairly clear that there are no laws that target individuals who place bets online. Millions of people gamble online in India every year and we have yet to see a case in which someone has been prosecuted for doing so.

There is considerable controversy as to whether any of the country’s laws can even be applied to online gaming. Outside of Nagaland and Sikkim (which will discuss in further detail below), there is no legal mechanism by which someone actually living in India could start a betting site and begin accepting wagers. On the other hand, betting sites located in other countries operate under a completely different set of laws that allow them to accept wagers from people anywhere in the world, including India.

Therefore, anyone living in India who wants to play poker, bet on sports or play casino games should look to foreign operators, or any of the Indian betting sites listed above. Each of these betting sites is licensed in its home country and is more than happy to accept Indian customers, process rupee deposits and issue payouts to winners.

A Closer Look at India’s Gambling Laws

Gaming laws are mostly relegated to the state level in India, but the central government does have some power to impact the industry. The most significant federal law on gambling is the Public Gaming Act of 1867. Considering the law was written 150 years ago, it should be no surprise that it makes no mention of the internet.

What it does say is that it is illegal for anyone to be found in a gaming house. The penalty for doing so is a fine not exceeding 100 rupees or imprisonment not exceeding one month. Furthermore, any person found inside a gaming house is assumed to have been there for the purpose of gambling unless that person can prove otherwise.

So, what does this have to do with online gambling? It appears not much, but it depends on how state officials define “gaming house.” The law itself defines a gaming house as follows:

“any house or room or tent or enclosure or vehicle or vessel or any place whatsoever in which any instruments of gaming are kept or used for gaming purposes”

Betting sites certainly cannot be described as houses, rooms, tents or enclosures, but it’s possible that a betting site could be considered a “vessel” or “any place whatsoever.” To date, nobody has tested a court’s interpretation of this wording. We simply do not have the case law to determine if this definition could ever be used to describe an Indian betting site.

The fact that the definition has never been tested as it applies to online betting is a good thing for Indian gamblers. It indicates that authorities have little interest in pursuing individual gamblers. Online gambling has been available for roughly two decades now and we have yet to see a regular online gambler prosecuted under the Public Gaming Act.

Legal Online Cricket Betting Sites In India

The 2007 Payment and Settlement Act is another federal law that has indirect implications for online gambling. This act gives full power to the Reserve Bank of India to regulate electronics payments throughout India. The act gives broad powers to the central bank, allowing it to stop electronic payments as it sees fit. Payment processors can be inspected without warrants and forced to share customers’ financial data with the government.

In other words, the act gives the government sweeping powers over the types of payment methods that Indians use to fund their online betting accounts. The act has caused some problems for credit and debit card deposits, but Indians can still use e-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller to make payments and withdraw winnings.

The Information Technology Act, 2000 gave the central government the authority to regulate internet activity and the transmission of information that information that can corrupt people. A 2011 publication of rules related to the act specifically mentions gambling.

The publication of the rules does give the central government the authority to order internet service providers to block access to websites that discuss gambling. So far, it appears the government has taken little-to-no action in using the power of the act to prevent online gambling.

State Level Gaming Laws

India’s constitution grants each state broad authority over the regulation of both real world and online gambling. Two states, Goa and Sikkim, do allow brick-and-mortar casinos. There are a handful of casinos in Sikkim and over a dozen in Goa.

Sikkim first opened the doors to online gambling with the passage of the Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulation) Act, 2008 and then followed that up with the Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulation) Rules, 2009 to make the act operational. These laws paved the way for online gambling by giving operators the ability to apply for licenses and offer games of chance and sports betting for real money over the internet.

Originally, lawmakers sought to give online betting sites the freedom to accept customers from across India. This law would have essentially brought online gambling to the entire nation. However, that aspect of the law was later struck down after the government ruled that Sikkim could only offer online gambling to customers located within the state.

The gaming rules implemented in 2009 set a tax rate of 1% of gross gaming yield, set a minimum participation age of 18, set advertising standards and clarified what is expected of licensed operators to ensure fair games for players. Just some of the requirements include providing an adequate means for generating truly random results, clearly explaining to players the house advantage of each game and keep records relating to player identities, player balances, games played, times played and so on.

Later, the state government passed the Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulations) Amendment Bill 2015. This bill authorized operators to offer real money sports betting, poker and casino games in betting shops across Sikkim by way of “intranet gaming terminals.” Two established gaming operators in the state quickly got to work and opened roughly 50 betting shops in different locations.

India’s first full-fledged sports betting site opened in 2016. M88.com was authorized by state authorities and may now offer real money sports bets to customers physically located in Sikkim. Offshore sites still accept customers from all parts of India, but M88 is the first to be truly licensed in Sikkim.

Nagaland began the process of addressing online gaming with a bill passed by the legislative assembly in 2016. This bill addresses “games of skill” and allows licensed operators to offer games such as rummy, fantasy sports, poker, chess and virtual golf for real money online.

The Nagaland Prohibition of Gambling and Promotion of Games of Skill Bill, 2015 makes use of a broad definition of “game of skill” in order to allow operators to offer a wide variety of games. The bill has since been implemented, but it could face challenges as India’s Supreme Court has yet to issue clear decisions regarding which games may be legally defined as games of skill. The outcome of pending court decisions will have an important impact on this bill.

Additionally, the Nagaland bill seeks to allow locally-licensed operators to accept customers from all across India. This approach is similar to what Sikkim attempted to do when it passed its own online gambling legislation. Lawmakers in Sikkim later had to amend the bill in a way that resulted in keeping all online gaming activities restricted to state residents. Presumably, opponents could challenge the Nagaland bill on the same grounds that resulted in the Sikkim bill being amended.

Nagaland authorities issued the first licenses to online betting sites in 2016. Four websites offering backgammon, online poker and eventually other games of skill were the first to receive licenses. A fifth site received an online poker license in 2017.

The following websites are now formally licensed in Nagaland and may accept customers from all states that do not restrict games of skill as well as countries in which online betting is legal:

• Khelo365.com
• ClubEmpire.in
• PokerHigh.com
• PokaBunga.com
• PokerBaazi.com

Are there any consequences for betting online in India?

So far, it appears there are no legal risks for individual gamblers. There have not been any reported incidents of Indians being prosecuted for placing a bet of any type online. Although the government now has the power to inspect electronic payments at will, authorities seem to focus their intention on stopping payments to online gambling sites and prosecuting those who run gambling houses.

Deposits to and Withdrawals from Indian Betting Sites

Legal Online Gambling In India

The passage of legislation requiring payment processors to block transactions to betting sites has made it slightly more difficult for gamblers to make deposits and receive withdrawals. The good news is that these are only small road bumps.

You may find it difficult to deposit with certain credit or debit cards, but most of the world’s major e-wallet services work just fine in India. The government could always crack down on payment processing in the future, but no moves to do so have been noted to date.

If you have had trouble making a deposit with your bank account or credit card, here are two alternative methods that are highly likely to work for you:

Which Betting Sites Accept Indian Players?

Indians can deposit and play at most of the world’s big names in online gambling, but are generally best served at bookmakers that operate from the United Kingdom. The UK is home to numerous international gaming sites that are more than happy to accept customers from India.

Legal Online Betting Sites In India

Additionally, UK-headquartered betting sites tend to have a better understanding of the Indian market. They offer odds on cricket matches every day of the week, stream cricket matches online in real time and offer wagers on every other major sport in the world. These same bookmakers also come equipped with fully functional casinos, poker rooms and bingo games.

Future of Online Gambling in India

India is still a largely untapped online gambling market. Even so, citizens continue to wager in large numbers whether it is legally or illegally. The gambling market continues to grow year after year. At least one state has gone so far as to create a process by which online bookmakers could apply for licenses to operate legally from within India.

Anyone desiring the freedom to gamble online should be happy to see the efforts of many Indian states such as Sikkim and Goa. The head of the International Cricket Counsel recently came out in favour of online gaming and believes a regulated market would help keep money away from underground bookies that fund terrorism and drugs with the profits.

A legal market would be hugely beneficial in India as its 1.3 billion people would likely flock to a convenient, regulated online betting market. It would also provide large tax revenues for the government and put a major dent in the domestic black market for gambling. The central government appears to take a mostly anti-gambling stance, but individual states seem to lean more towards legalisation. We remain cautiously optimistic for the future of online gambling in India.

Country-wide legalisation is also looking like a stronger possibility with every passing month. Reports began circulating in mid-2017 that the Sports Ministry has already taken part in preliminary discussions for legalizing and regulating online sports betting.

Although nothing is set in stone at this early stage, the government appears quite friendly to the idea of legal online betting in India. Some in the government have also stated a desire to seek the assistance of regulators in the United Kingdom. This is especially promising because the UK is arguably the world’s best regulator and the world’s freest online gambling market.