India is certainly not a country known for its gambling culture. In fact, it’s pretty much non-existent, no thanks to the outdated gambling laws that are in much-needed updating. However, the online gambling industry is a completely different story. Online casinos, especially sports betting and fantasy sports platforms are becoming more popular by the day. For instance, just recently Tencent led $100 million series funding in Dream11 to enter Indian gaming industry!
As you see, on one hand, we have a system that discourages gambling, and on the other hand, the traction that online casinos are enjoying today is simply unbelievable. This raises the question: is gambling legal in India?
The Truth About Gambling in India
Gambling is more of a grey area in India today even though the law commission has clarified its stance on the industry by saying that it finds it “strongly undesirable”. However, the distinction between gambling and a legal game, at least how the industry stakeholders and experts consider it, is made based on whether it’s based on skill or luck.
If a game is based on pure luck, then it’s considered gambling and it won’t be allowed as per the law. However, if you can increase the odds of winning a game by using skill(s), then it won’t be considered gambling and can be permitted by the government.
What Kind of Platforms are Legal in India?
There is no dearth of legal casino platforms in India. For instance, the LeoVegas casino in India is quite popular as it offers a slew of games like slots, blackjack, roulette, etc. as well as attractive bonuses. All the games offered on the platform are legal and enjoyed by millions of Indians. In fact, there are many other platforms like this especially in the sports betting and fantasy sports category that you can also check out- Dream11 Fantasy Cricket, Betrally India, etc.
India has some land-based casinos too but you can count them all on the fingers your hands. Most of them are based in Goa and if you are going there, then the recommendations would be Deltin Royale Casino, Casino Pride, and Casino Paradise.
Conclusion
Gambling might be an emerging industry in India, the credit for which can be mostly contributed to the online casinos, but it’s growing faster than ever and giving the people an option to have a good time and with friends and family and earn money at the same time. Since most people can’t visit Goa which is pretty much the only place where you can play casino games in a physical establishment i.e. a traditional casino, your best bet is to check out the online platforms. You won’t be disappointed!
