The idea of gambling and testing your luck to make a fortune can get intimidating at times. In recent times, you must have noticed that popular online casino websites are accepting Indian players and payments in INR too.
Now, the million-dollar question arises whether an online casino is legal in India? If you are still unsure whether you should sign up or not, this article is just for you.
In this context, we are going to discuss online casinos and their legality.
For centuries Gambling has been an integral part of Indian culture. It was considered as one of the noblest sports among the kings to portray their power.
Fast forward a thousand years, and now we have got ourselves the flexibility to gamble online. While casinos have always been depicted as a part of the hotel chains or resorts, that is certainly not the case anymore.
Is Casino Legal in India: Can You Bet Online?
Since the majority of the online casinos are operated outside India, Indian laws and regulations don’t put forth any restrictions.
With the absence of any law stating that Online Casinos are illegal, it doesn’t put forward the players in jeopardy.
Playing at online casinos is completely safe and sound both on paper and in reality. According to the Indian Penal Code, there is no law to penalize online gamblers.
For a long time, there have been discussions in the Media both social and print, about regularising betting and gambling activities. So on the whole in India, online casinos are not seen as unfavourable. Further testimony suggests that no one has been fined or jailed for online gambling.
Some of the trusted players in the online casino industry such as 10CRIC, and Betway allow Indians to seamlessly indulge in online gambling.
With no laws to prohibit online casinos or sports betting, it is just the right time to try out your luck.
Understanding the Differences Between Physical and Online Casinos
Is casino legal in India? Still, remains the bigger question to be answered for the offline market as well?
Based on the Public Gambling Act of 1867 running a casino in public is prohibited. Generally, the penalty for breaking the law is either a fine of INR 200 or imprisonment for 3 months or both.
Similarly, the act also prohibits players from visiting gambling houses as well. The fine could reach INR 100 along with one-month imprisonment.
Since gambling is subjected to state laws, there are only 3 states that have legalized casinos. This includes states namely Goa and Sikkim along with Daman and Diu.
The Goa, Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act, 1976 allows gambling in the State. Later on, Sikkim Received approval from the State government with Sikkim Regulation of Gambling (Amendment), 2005.
Due to the limitations in the other states, this has been another major factor in the popularity of online casinos. Without any specific laws or regulations imposed on the online casino industry, players can easily have the same experience from the comfort of their homes.
In fact, online casinos have taken an edge, with their flexibility and the variations they offer.
What to Look for in an Online Casino
Doing the right research is one of the best ways to find a good online casino. There are always some key determining factors that should be taken into account.
Look for their relevance and choose the one that works the best for you.
1. Betting and Gaming Licenses
An appropriate betting license is a must-have when it comes to choosing your gambling website. Make sure to look for the services offered by them.
Before you make up your mind, consider checking their background. While virtually anyone can run such websites, there are several criteria to be followed.
2. Reliability and Reputation
As stated earlier, although online gambling is legal, always look for the history of casino websites. This, in turn, can prove their trustworthiness.
Stick to the website which has been able to provide consistent services for their customers.
Right before you sign-up, you can always check online for proper reviews.
3. Rewards
Rewards and bonuses can always provide you with some extra value. Websites offer all relevant information regarding their reward schemes. So, It is fairly easy to track down the offers. Just bear in mind, do not start comparing rewards from various websites.
Sometimes the most rewarding ones are not always better. So, consider the above-mentioned points before proceeding further.
4. Types of Gambling
Flexibility in a website is a must-have. Based on your individual preferences, it is very important to look for the various available options.
For instance, in a casino, you might look forward to betting on sports more instead of poker.
Even if your primary goal is to look for casinos, there are a plethora of game options to choose from.
You can always go with slot games, Teen Patti, Blackjack, Lottery, and much more.
5. Options for Depositing
We recommend that you always look for websites that offer the convenience of depositing in INR. This way, you can easily gamble within the same currency. Without spending on conversion fees, you can certainly save a lot. This, in turn, can also offer you a better overall gaming experience.
There are also some websites that offer depositing money via e-wallets. So, you don’t end up missing your favourite payment option.
6. Quality of Customer Support
You might be wondering what customer support has to do with online gambling? But the quality of customer service is just the same as anything else.
It can hugely impact your decision making choosing the right gambling website.
One of the easiest ways to check for the services is to simply raise some queries from your end. How quickly they can respond would determine their quality of services.
A Road Towards Fortune with Betting Online
Legal casinos in India strictly comply with the rules and regulations set forward by the government.
That being said, based on any regulatory body, be it the Central or State government these compliances are always subjected to changes.
As for the online casinos, they need to monitor the same over time. Following through all the legal practices, players all over India can create complete transparency.
It is crystal clear that people from India love to gamble and despite the actions that the Government might take, it is evident that players from India will continue to access casino games from international online gambling sites, as they currently do.
Indian punters seem to get more and more attached to their mobile and live casino games remain very popular with players. There will likely be a complete transition of casino sites being made for desktops to be developed for mobile and the entire casino atmosphere will be recreated online. So it will be interesting to see how the Government reacts to this.
What are your thoughts on the idea of legalizing online gambling in India?
