India Online Gambling Industry May Soon Be Reality

Published: 22/07/2020

Reading Time: 3 Min

Image: Shutterstock

Online gambling in India is getting a lot of traction. However, it is important to note that online gambling is still in a rather grey area in the country. The issue of online gambling is still a relatively complicated matter in the country.

Legally speaking, gambling is technically illegal in India. The country is still governed by a law enacted sometime in the 1800s. The country is still following that law and has not introduced any amendment into it in order to cater to the evolving gambling industry.

In India, gambling laws are approached differently by different states. Although gambling is completely illegal in the country, some states have introduced various workarounds in order to cater to some form of gambling. This practice has greatly shaped local gambling niches.

India has different types of gambling

Generally speaking, gambling in India can be divided into two types: games of skill or strategy and games of chance.

Under the game of skill generalization, games like domino, poker, and various card games fall under this. For game of strategy, games like chess and horse racing fall under this category.

For those who are inclined into games of strategy, some Indian states have offer different kinds of workaround. One of the most popular options to play games of strategy in India is by visiting physical shops that offer these kinds of games.

For those who are looking for games of chance, there are casinos scattered around the country that offer these kinds of games. Among the most popular games of chance are bingo and lotteries.

Introduction of online gambling

As previously mentioned, both online and offline gambling are still technically illegal in India. However, there are several workaround to bypass various regulatory restrictions.

One of the most popular workaround to gamble online in India is to use offshore gaming platforms. Offshore gaming are license online gaming platforms that are based in different jurisdictions but cater to people inside of India.

Technically speaking, offshore gaming are not liable to Indian law since they are based outside of the jurisdiction of the country. However, due to the magic of the internet, these offshore gaming platforms can host their website inside of India.

Offshore gaming is getting popular in the country and since its introduction have now created some sort of indirect industry. It is important to note that offshore gambling is still technically illegal, and engaging in such activity will violate the law. Nevertheless, no website or individual has been prosecuted for engaging in such activities.

Some India policy makers and gambling supporters are lobbying for the legalization of gambling in the country. Many argue that gambling is great revenue stream, considering the fact that the country’s economy has been greatly damaged by the coronavirus pandemic.

In recent studies, Indians are spending billions of dollars in offshore gambling. If India can pass a law that will legalize and regulate gambling in the country, this presents a massive revenue stream for the country.

Some lawmakers agree to this notion, but they noted that it takes a lot of time legalize the industry.