Gambling In India By State
In this article we will go into more detail about the different online gaming laws in India pertaining to each of the 28 states. We will also explore if casinos are legal in India or rather, the loopholes around them.
Andhra Pradesh
Founded as a state in 1953, Andhra Pradesh is one of the first 10 states formed in India. It is located in the Southeast side of India and homes nearly 53 million people.
Prior to 2020, The Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act-1974 was the legislative Act in this state, which did not include online gambling laws in India. However, in September 2020, the state of Andhra Pradesh updated this law which now prohibits all forms of online and offline gambling. This includes all type of casino games including table games, slots and live casino, sports betting and even online lottery. If gambling is your form of entertainment this state is not the right state to be in, as it one of the states that has the harshest gambling laws in India.
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh was founded in 1987. It’s capital city is Itanagar and is it’s one of the smaller states with only 1.5 million population.
As per the The Arunachal Pradesh Gambling Prohibition Act 2012, all forms of gambling are prohibited, except for skill-based games. However these skill-based games can only be played without the use of money or just for entertainment purposes during a festival. Examples of Games of Skill are poker and chess, which require studying and properly learning the game to be able to play it well. There are people that make a living out of being professional poker players or professional chess players and this is dependent on their skill, as the name of these types of games suggest.
Bold text “However, the gambling Act of 2012 does not mention online casinos or online gaming laws in India or in Arunachal Pradesh and this is a loophole. This means that casino players from Arunachal Pradesh can play at an online casino as long as that online casino is not based in India, and as long as players do not play in groups together.”
Assam
The Assam State was founded in 1950 and is one of the oldest states in India. It has a population of more than 35 million people.
Is gambling legal in Assam?
Assam had initially followed the Gambling Act of 1867. However, in 1970, Assam had brought about the Assam Game and Betting Act which prohibited betting and gambling activities, but, as one can imagine, there is no mention to online casinos or online gambling laws in India or Assam specifically.
Therefore, whilst gambling physically with groups of people in gambling houses is not legal, unless its a game of skill, players can always opt to play using online casinos that accept Indian players. This is as long as the online casino is not based in India.
This means that the question “Is online gambling legal in Assam” can be answered by saying that there is no specific rule or law that prohibits online gambling or online casinos.
Bihar
The Bihar state was founded in 1950 with an incredible population of 126 million, making it the 3rd largest state in this amazing country.
Bihar also follows the Gambling Act of 1867 which makes it incredibly easy and safe for people residing in Bihar to safely gamble with an online casino.
It is important that the online casino is foreign and not based in India. This is because the Gambling Act has no hold over non-Indian based online casinos and would therefore not risk punishment for gambling in India.
Chhattisgarh
The Central India state of Chhattisgarh was founded in 2000 with population of over 30 million people.
Since 2022 a new legislation has been passed prohibiting all forms of gambling including online casinos and online sports betting. This is due to the Chhattisgarh Gambling (Prohibition) Bill which officially states that gambling and staking money both in person and online are not legal. This bill criminalizes such forms of gambling and is therefore punishable by law. However, this bill does not mention lotteries.
Therefore, we do not recommend that players residing in this state pursue gambling in online casinos. If a player chooses to do so he will be doing this at his or her own risk.
Goa
The state of Goa was founded in 1987 and houses approximately 1.5 Million people.
Goa is one of the few states in India where online gambling is legal, including casino and sports betting.
The Goa, Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act that came out in 1976 is what started off legal gambling in this Indian state.
In 1992, Goa started issuing licences to 5 star hotels. Only gaming houses with such licences are allowed to operate slot machines. These licences have helped the state of Goa financially due to the amount of taxes that are paid out to the government. Considering that Goa is one of the few states that allows gambling in India, a large amounts of tourists flood this state to gamble.
Unfortunately however, locals and residents of Goa are not allowed to access these land based casinos. No problem however, as offshore online casinos are easily accessible in Goa! It is also safe and easy to do so, since there is no law in Goa prohibiting the use of online casinos.
Therefore if you are based in Goa you can feel safe to gamble at an online casino accepting players from India. If you are a local just be sure that the online casino is based offshore
Gujarat
The state of Gujarat is the home to approximately 63 Million people and was founded back in 1960.
Gujarat has one of the harshest laws when it comes to gambling. Practically all forms of physical and onsite gambling are restricted, apart from horse racing which is still allowed on a physical horse racing course.
These laws come into place once again through the Public Gambling Act; 1867 and aided further by The Gujarat Prevention of Gaming Act 1887 or maybe better known as The Bombay Prevention of Gambling Act 1887, to further outline the rules and laws of gambling locally.
Games of Skill and Games of Chance taking place in a physical on-site location are illegal and punishable by law.
However, there is still the option to gamble through an offshore online casino accepting players from India, since neither of the Acts mentioned above specifically mention online gaming laws in India.
Therefore, we can safely say that gambling in Gujarat is safe as long as it is done through an online casino not based in India.
Haryana
Similar to many other states in India Haryana prohibits all types of gambling based in physical and onsite gambling houses.
Once again, this state which boasts a population of over 25 million people, is using the Public Gambling Act of 1867, which means that gambling at an online casino is safe and allowed.
In all honesty a lot of the states in India still use the Public Gambling Act 1867, as their main law on the gambling industry. Only few states like Goa (hyperlink) and Sikkim (hyperlink) have legalised the gambling industry and issued their own specific state laws.
Therefore just to reiterate one more time, since the Public Gambling Act 1867 does not incorporate a clause about online gambling in India this means that the population of Haryana is allowed to gamble online in one of the online casinos accepting players from India.
We have made our selection on the best online casinos in India based on reputation, localizations and user experience for the Indian players.
Jharkand
The Eastern India state of Jharkand was founded in 2000 and is the home to more than 37 million people.
So, can adults that are living in the state of Jharkand gamble? What are the online gambling laws there?
Once again, as many other Indian States, Jharkand state follows the laws set out by the Public Gambling Act of 1867
This means that as long as you do not gamble in a physical gaming house, than you should be safe to gamble. This is good news for those that like gambling as a form of entertainment, as this means that online gambling is safe as long as the online casino is not based in India.
The casinos recommended by casinosindiaonline have the most popular games that are out there, both in terms of games of skill like blackjack and baccarat, as well as games of chance such as roulette and slots. They are localized in terms of language as well as having the most popular payment methods in India (hyperlink to payment methods page)
Karnataka
Karnataka is one of the largest states found in the southwest of India, accommodating over 67 million people. approximately Gambling activities are banned in Karnataka, except for horse racing.
Karnataka doesn’t have the most straightforward rules for online gambling legality.
In September 2021, a law a passed prohibiting all forms of gambling in Karnataka, both land based, known as gaming houses as well as online gaming. This new law was challenged by the All India Gaming Federation on the grounds that games of skill such as rummy are business activities which should be protected, and which should not be banned under this new law.
The result to all this is that whilst land-based casinos and gaming houses are illegal in Karnataka, gambling online with a casino that is not based in India is allowed.
If you reside in Karnataka, don’t worry. We have got you covered. Here is a full list of the online casinos in India that you can gamble on using real money.
Kerala
Kerala, which is known for its amazing coastal beaches can be found on the Malabar Coast, and homes around 35 million people as per the most recent census.
When is comes to the question of is gambling legal in Kerala, one can start off by looking at the Kerala Gaming Act, 1960 which once again mentions the prohibition of gaming houses. Also, the Public Gambling Act, 1867 once again comes into play here, prohibiting all forms of gambling.
However, lotteries were legalised in Kerala back in 1967 and in 2005 it got regulated under the Kerala Paper Lotteries Rules. This means that Kerala prohibits all form of gambling with the exception of lotteries.
Same as most other states, since the above-mentioned Gambling Acts are old and prior to the internet existing, there is no mention that you are not allowed to gamble on online casinos. This means that people living in Kerala can safely gamble on their preferred online casino in India without any fear or repercussions.
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh holds an astounding population of 85 million people and is found in central India as the name itself suggests.
Is online gambling legal in India? Similar to many other Indian states, Madhya Pradesh follows the Public Gambling Act, 1867, which prohibits gambling but fails to mention online gambling for casinos based outside of India, seeing that online casinos were not in existence when this public gambling act came into play.
In this case Indian players gambling in this state can gamble freely on the wide choice of online casinos and sportsbook brands allocated to them. However, we always suggest that you stick to our recommended online casinos in India as these have been vetted and are approved by our team, both in terms of the best possible user experience as well as their legitimacy.
However, we must once again stress the fact that even though the Public Gambling Act, 1867 doesn’t mention online gambling and it is therefore perfectly fine for players to gamble using such means, it is prohibited to gamble in physical gambling houses. Some exceptions for skill-based games are made such as horse racing and rummy. There are, however, conflicting ideas as to which rummy is legal or not. Therefore, if one wants to play it safe, it is best to stay away from rummy completely.
Apart from the Public Gambling Act, 1867, Madhya Pradesh also issued The M.P. Lottery Pratibandh Act, 1993. This Act however still follows the rules of the Public Gambling Act, 1867 and therefore on the state can offer this lottery.
However, one must keep an eye on Madhya Pradesh, since the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced in April 2023 that they will release a Madhya Pradesh Gambling Act, 2023 which would incorporate prohibitions around online gambling.
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is an immensely big state in India with around 126 million people as per the last census. It is situated on the west of India bordering with Goa.
Now, let’s move on the main question we will be covering in this topic. Is gambling legal in the Maharashtra state of India? Similar to a lot of other states, unfortunately most games are actually illegal to play in physical casinos. Same as Madhya Pradesh, only a few games of skill such as rummy and horse betting can be gambled on legally. Lotteries are also allowed.
The state regulates gambling through the Maharashtra Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887 as well as the famous Public Gaming Act, 1867
You might also have heard of the Bombay Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887 which is maybe what the public is more familiar with, instead of the Maharashtra Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887
These gambling acts however, do not make any mention of online casinos and therefore this is the loophole that allows players from this state to gamble on online casinos that are based outside of India freely and with peace of mind.
It is important that you do not engage in gambling in physical gambling houses in this state as this would be punishable by law. If you feel like gambling than we encourage you to have a look at our list of trusted online casinos operating for Indian players where you can gamble freely and most of all safely with a wide range of slot games, the most popular live casino games which promise hours of fun entertainment. Not only that, but some of them like 10 Cric have some cool sportsbook platforms where you can have fun betting on cricket, football, tennis and all other forms of sport.
Manipur
Manipur which is located in North East India, bordering Myanmar, is one of the smaller states with approximately 3.2 million people.
Same as the majority of other Indian states, gambling in Manipur is also based on the Public Gaming Act, 1867
This means that it is safe to gamble, as long as you do it online with an offshore casino and not one based in India.
People in Manipur are not allowed to gamble in physical gambling houses and this is part of the Public Gaming Act, 1867 People caught gambling in illegal physical gambling houses can be punished by law
Therefore, if you want to gamble, do so safely.
All you have to do is choose an online casino that accepts Indian players but is based outside India. Here we have listed our favourite casinos and sportsbook that are safe and can provide you with hours of fun entertainment.
Just register for an account, verify yourself, place a deposit and off you go! What’s more. Most of these casinos actually give you a welcome bonus to get you started. So what are you waiting for? Go!
Meghalaya
Meghalaya is another state that can be found in the Northeast of India. Its population is similar to Manipur with approximately 3.3 million people residing there.
The gambling laws in this Indian state are very interesting and one that has brought about a lot of controversy. In 2021 The Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Rules, 2021 was issued which allowed the set up of casinos in Meghalaya. The idea behind this act was to bring about an uplift to the economy and employment through tourism, with the hope that legalising casinos would bring about scores of tourists to the state.
This brought about controversies and uproar, which brought about talks leading to the bill being revoked. On the 4th May 2023 the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming (Repeal) Act, 2023 was issued, as a repeal of the bill issued in 2021.
So, how does this leave Meghalaya and can people gamble within this state? Yes! Indian people are still able to gamble as through an offshore online casino. You can put your mind at rest, as all the online casinos for Indian players that we have vetted and placed on CasinosIndiaOnline are all based outside of India. So go and have a look at our list here, choose your favourite and enjoy this form of entertainment.
Mizoram
Mizoram, same as Manipur and Meghalaya, can also be found in the Northeast side of India. It is one of the smallest states with only 1.2 million inhabitants.
Same as many other states in India, Mizoram abides by the Public Gaming Act, 1867
This is brilliant news for those that want to gamble online, since, as we have mentioned many times this bill does not cover online casinos but only physical and land-based ones. A player can gamble freely on an online casino such as Casino Days or 10 Cric since these are not based in India.
We encourage you to have a look at the list of active casinos that we have listed on our site, as we have vetted and reviewed them, so that you as a player can learn about the user experience of the site, the payment methods that such online casinos have to offer as well as the welcome bonuses available to all first-time depositors. All the casinos listed on our casinosindiaonline.in are not based in India and therefore you have peace of mind that you wont breaking the law by using real money to gamble using their service.
Nagaland
Nagaland is like a needle in a haystack when in comes to gambling laws in India. Why? Because it is one of the few states that actually has issued a gambling bill called the The Nagaland Prohibition of Gambling and Promotion and Regulation of Online Games of Skill Act, 2015
This Act allows online casinos to acquire a licence to operate in Nagaland making it legal for players to gamble using real money on a casino having the Nagaland licence.
Therefore, what are the choices available for a player residing in the Nagaland state of India?
Players residing in this state can opt to choose an online casino that has the Nagaland gambling licence or an online casino that holds a Curacao or MGA licence and is not based in India.
What are the restrictions imposed on a casino holding the Nagaland gambling licence? Apart from the usual licence fee which needs to be paid, which is standard across all licences, unfortunately, a casino holding the Nagaland gambling licence is not allowed to offer to its players any games of chance. Only Skill based games are allowed.
Quoting from the Act, Section 2:
“Definitions:-In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires- (1) “Gambling” means and includes wagering or betting on games of chance but does not include betting or wagering on games of skill. Explanation: Once a license has been obtained under this Act, wagering or betting on online ‘games of skill’ or making profit by providing a medium for playing ‘games of skill’ shall not amount to gambling so long as they are being provided to players and are being accessed by players operating from territories where ‘games of skill’ are exempted from the ambit of gambling”
Quoting from the Act, Section 2, Sub section 3, Point 3:
“Games of skill may be (a) Card based and (b) action/ virtual sports/ adventure/mystery and (c) calculation/strategy/quiz based”
Therefore, this doesn’t make the licence so appealing as it leaves out many other forms of entertaining games.
On top of that, this licence only permits the casino to offer skill-based games to other states where games of skill are allowed. Due to this, the restrictions imposed are quite high, which means that online casinos still prefer to make use of the MGA licence and Curacao licence. This way they can offer a much wider variety of games to their Indian clients while still maintaining the freedom and safety of their players.
You may find a list of our preferred online casinos here, which allows players to gamble freely and with peace of mind.
Odisha
Gambling in Odisha is nowadays governed by the Odisha Prevention of Gambling Act, 1955
Similar to previous Gambling Acts issued before it, this Act prohibits gambling within gambling houses.
It is however harsher than the Public Gaming Act, 1867 since it also prohibits horse racing as well as games of skill and not only games of chance.
An important similarity between the Odisha Prevention of Gambling Act, 1955 and the Public Gaming Act, 1867 is that neither of them mention anything in terms of online casinos, and once again this is due to the fact that online casinos didn’t exist back in 1955!
What does this mean for adults residing in the Eastern India state of Odisha? Housing approximately 45.4 million people, this state, same as many other states are free to gamble on online casinos based out of India, however they should not gamble in any physical gaming houses, irrelevant of whether the game is a skill-based game or not. Both are prohibited.
However, there are plenty of solid online casinos offering a wide range of games, including live casino, slot games, games of chance, as well as sportsbook betting. Most of these casinos have a wide range of payment methods to choose from, to ensure that you as a player have a seamless user journey and peace of mind.
Punjab
The important state of Punjab is found in the Northwest of India, bordering with Pakistan. It homes approximately 32 million people.
Same as many other states they follow the Public Gaming Act, 1867 which means that although gambling in physical gaming houses is illegal, players can still gamble online on a wide variety of offshore online casinos accepting Indian players.
The state is a breath of fresh air when you consider their outlook to gambling. They are tolerant and open-minded, even having their own state lottery.
Therefore, if slots or live casino is your way of entertainment, then not to worry. You will have plenty of choices with our vast array of online casinos, each offering thousands of games to play on. Some games are localised more towards India with popular games such as Teen Patti and Andar Bahar.
You will also find the popular slots by the most renown game providers. Apart from that you will also have a wide array of deposit an withdrawal methods made available to you. Check it out!
