Source: Legal Thirst
In India, the legality of online casinos is a complex and evolving issue. There are different laws in India for every state concerning the online gaming system including gambling. While traditional gambling is prohibited in India, there is online gaming system plus gambling that is running without specific oversight. Since international games like slots, poker, roulette, etc are getting popular internationally, there is a growing Indian online audience also. Till now, the government of Sikkim and Goa have taken the permits to allow online gambling in their states. In addition, there is an increase in demand for online casinos because of the popularity of international games. This further creates a need for a clear and comprehensive regulatory framework.
Legal Status Of Online Casinos Of Indian States
Goa—Legal With Regulations
Meghalaya—Legal With Regulations
Sikkim—Legal With Regulations
West Bengal—Legal With Regulations (as gambling is concerned and only for the games of skill)
All other states have either illegal, underdefined or not-so-defined regulatory frameworks for the online gambling system.
The Gambling Laws In India
A gambling law was made in favour of online gaming system or gambling systems. However, this law was established before the advent of the Internet, and it is not further accepted in favour of online gambling.
The act also does not define online gambling, online casinos, or internet gambling, leading to a grey area in legal interpretation.
State Regulations In India
Gambling is a state subject in India. Each state of India has its regulatory framework concerning the imposition of gambling activities, including online gambling.
Only Goa and Sikkim have allowed certain forms of regulation, including online gambling, to a limited extent.
Nagaland has also this license to regulate online gaming system/gambling system but this regulates only poker and card games.
Games in India That Are Allowed Based On Skill and Chance
In India, nothing is allowed to change games except for skill games. The laws of India distinguish games based on the games of skill and the games of chance.
A few games like poker and rummy are considered to be legal in certain parts of India, making them legal to play online. However, this varies from state to state.
The Use Of Foreign Websites
If you are an Indian and living in another country, you can play the legal online gambling that is regulated there.
However, it is illegal for those Indian players who are there in India using foreign websites for online gambling as the legal status is unclear and there are no laws prohibiting the legal status of gambling.
Payments For Online Gambling In India
There is no direct payment that is allowed in India concerning the online gambling system. However, you can pay for the games using e-wallets and cryptocurrencies.
Conclusion
In the countries like UK and Malta, there is responsible gambling. There, the focus is on licensing, player protection, taxation, and ensuring a balance between society and industry growth.
India could adopt a similar approach. There could be a uniform national policy addressing the unique challenges and opportunities. This would also update the outdated laws, creating leverage between the technology, state, and central authorities.
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