Online Gambling in India is slowly becoming (if not already) one of the core entertainment industries. So much so that experts expect a massive boom in the industry. Now, people can earn through fun ways by playing Poker, Rummy, Online Casino, albeit with risks. The year 2011 saw an extensive increase in the number of people logging in for internet gambling. Also, it was as high as a 220% increase.
When we talk about the legal issues surrounding internet gambling, there are, indeed, many. Besides, much of the provisions on it are very old and very ambiguous. There have been rumors and talks on making it a legal activity for many years now. The laws related to internet gambling are confusing, and hence, a solution is hard to arrive at. It is because it involves legislation both at the Union and State levels. Thus, without further ado, let us discuss the scope of Online Gambling in India.
The Legal Issues
First of all, State governments are responsible for providing regulations for internet gambling. That is because the subject matter of internet gambling or Gambling falls under the State List. Acts state that an act of Gambling related to a game of skill is not illegal. In contrast, any Gambling that involves a game of chance is illegal. Besides, sharing any information that has the ability to corrupt the minds of people is illegal.
Online Gambling in India Games and Sites
All in all, legally, only Sikkim, Daman, and Goa have casinos. Sikkim is among the first states to provide legislation on Online Gambling in India. It is evident from the fact that it did allow operators to offer services in Sikkim by giving them licenses. In that regard, Sikkim gave licenses to three operators in 2010. The direct result was that India saw the establishment of a network of internet gambling platforms. In contrast, Maharashtra took the other option of entirely banning internet gambling within the state.
Lack of Clarity
At present, people who indulge in internet gambling do so by logging into sites that are overseas. Also, these sites rather welcome traffic from the Indian market. At the same time, it is not really legal for Indian citizens to do so. There is still much to discuss when it comes to the legality of internet gambling in India. It is because, except Maharashtra, all the other states are still to present their views on the matter.
Thus, if indeed you are going to make use of internet gambling services, make sure it is not a fraudulent website. Also, see to it that the website has a reliable customer base and not bots. The important thing is to ensure that the operator is open to accept people from India. Besides this, the website should have services of geolocation available for transactions. Plus, they must have the option of accepting money through Electronic Wallet Payments. All these things will and should ensure that you are logging in to a legit overseas Online Gambling website.