India’s love for gambling is ages-old – from the card games played during Diwali to the sports betting online craze now. But, no matter the craze, betting and gambling are gray areas in the eyes of the law in India. Many people often ask, “Is betting legal in India?” In this article, we will be looking at the legal aspect of betting in India, looking at offline and online betting, state laws, the differences between games of skill and chance and much more.
The ABC of Betting and Gambling in India
The term betting ordinarily means to gamble money or anything of value on the outcome of a future event, most commonly in sports such as cricket. Gambling is also referred to as betting and related terms include casino and rummy, Poker, rummy is not included while casino is.
The legality of these actions can depend upon a number of things:
- Game type (skill or chance)
- Whether they’re on or off-line
- The state in which the action occureth
Games of Skill and Games of Chance
Important distinction in Indian law:
Games of Skill:
- Legal in most parts of India.
- Add to this, OK Win, fantasy sports, and few formats of poker.
- Courts have held that games that require a “substantial amount of skill and knowledge,” in the words of the appeals court, can’t be called gambling.
Games of Chance At Betting Platform:
- Illegal in all but a few states unless regulated.
- That is slots, roulette, casino games and nearly everything else.
Betting and Gambling in India Online
Online gambling operates in a gray area. Here’s why:
Not Directly Regulated by Central Government
- The internet goes unaddressed in the Public Gambling Act.
- This is why many offshore online betting sites are fully operational in India.
State-Level Regulation
- A few states such as Sikkim, Nagaland, Meghalaya, have also legalized online gambling websites.
- Other states, such as Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, have prohibited all types of online gambling.
What About Sports Betting?
Sports gambling is a wildly popular pastime in India, especially on cricket. However, it’s mostly illegal.
Legal Status:
- Public Gambling Act forbids sports bets in the offline mode.
- Online sports betting on foreign platforms (such as Ultra Win, Jalwa Game, etc.) is in a legal gray area – not regulated, yet not explicitly prohibited.
Horse Racing Exception:
- The Supreme Court has decided that betting on horse racing is a game of skill and therefore isn’t the same as an “all or nothing” draw of numbers and is legal.
- There are several horse racing clubs in India that are legal and also offer Tote betting.
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Are Fantasy Sports Legal?
Fantasy sports websites such as Dream11, MyTeam11, and MPL have witnessed wide acceptance.
Why They’re Legal:
- Courts (including the Bombay High Court and the Rajasthan High Court) have held that fantasy sports are skill-based and not just a matter of luck.
- Several legal cases have been won on this plea by Dream11.
- So long as the platform retains the necessity of team selection driven by player stats, strategy, and research, it is an offer for a game of skill.
Is Casino Gambling Legal?
Offline Casinos:
- Legal only in Goa, Daman, Sikkim.
- So, these are the states that have land-based and floating casinos with 199 legal gambling premises.
Online Casinos:
- Not regulated by Indian law.
- There are a number of foreign online casinos that accept Indian players and also permit transactions in INR.
- Players’ new gig operates in a legal gray zone — technically not prosecuted yet, a black area of the law.
Is Betting Taxable in India?
Yes, all the winnings coming from the betting or gambling should be taxed according to the Income Tax Act.
Tax Rules:
- There is a straight 30% tax on winnings with cess added.
- This includes money from lotteries, cards games, horse racing and online sites.
- No deduction in cases of expenditure or exemptions.
- If the platform is deducting TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) it should give a certificate.
Is It Safe to Bet on International Betting Sites?
While many Indians bet using a range of platforms such as Betway, 10Cric, Parimatch, and Bet365, there are risks:
Pros:
- Convenient access and funding via UPI, Paytm, net banking or crypto.
- Include Indian sport like cricket, kabaddi and local leagues.
- Work with the licenses of Malta Gaming Authority, Curacao or UK Gambling Commission.
Cons:
- No legal protection under the Indian law for redressal if any issue.
- Funds are maintained abroad — no RBI monitoring.
- Can be banned anytime by Indian government.
Google Play And Mobile Betting Applications Policy
In 2022, Google began allowing real-money gaming apps on the Play Store in India on a trial basis. Some apps such as Dream11, MPL among others are now directly available for download.
Apps that offer casino games or betting on sports for real money remain forbidden from the Play Store, and they still require a download from a website or an app distributed through a so-called APK, with all the risk that entails.
What is the future of betting laws in India
According to experts betting, should be regulated and not outlawed for the following reasons:
- Potential for tax revenue
- Decrease illegal and illicit betting syndicates
- Enable more secure and transparent systems
- Bring jobs to gaming and tech
The Law Commission of India (2018) went so far as to suggest legalisation of betting with conditions set for protection of the vulnerable. But gambling has not been legalized or regulated by central law so far, largely because of moral and political considerations.
In Conclusion of Is betting legal in India
So, is betting legal in India? The answer is nuanced: Some forms are entirely legalized, especially those that involve skill such as daily fantasy sports and horse racing. Others, such as casino games and sports betting, are largely unregulated or have no state reporting requirements — particularly online and state-to-state.
India is gradually warming up to the betting market. Yet as long as there is no unified legal framework or more states do not act, betting and gambling will continue to exist in a gray area — neither entirely legal, nor entirely banned.
It depends. There is also no central law against it, but there are those who have banned it — specifically states like Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
If you live in a state where it is illegal, yes — especially if local laws prohibit it. Otherwise, enforcement is ’rare but possible’.
There is no Indian licensed betting site that offers sports betting. Fantasy sports sites and horse racing pages are legal, however.
“IPL betting in India is illegal — there is no infrastructure in place currently that will give you access to betting within India, many punters choose to place bets using online bookmakers based outside India.
Yes indeed they are legal in most states as they are considered games of skill.
