Is There a Future for Regulated Online Casino Gambling in India

For well over 150 years, India’s government has done little to repeal the Public Gambling Act of 1867. Under the dictate of that law, all forms of gambling are technically prohibited. The existence of the law has created quite a quandary for many of India’s residents who have quite an appetite for various forms of gambling. The list of preferred gambling activities among India residents includes playing cards (poker, rummy), sports betting, playing the horses, lotteries, and playing casino games of chance (slots and table games like baccarat).

Fortunately for some gambling enthusiasts, the government in India has made an effort to carve out special consideration for what the government classifies as games of skill or strategy. Included under this heading is various card games and betting on horses. The government also sponsors lotteries. This change in attitude by the government about gambling in general coincides with like changes within the Indian culture over the last 50 years.

What India still does not permit is online casino gambling and sports betting. Let’s take a took at the prospect of Indians being able to gamble in the future with regulated India based online gambling websites.

What Does the Future Hold for India’s Online Gambling Enthusiasts

While the federal laws in India prohibit online gambling, it hasn’t stopped millions of Indians from visiting online casino sites based in the UK. The fact no one has ever been prosecuted for violating India’s internet gambling rules makes clear the government and law enforcement do not regard said activities as a serious violation of the law.

While India’s most ardent gamblers spend hundreds of millions, maybe billions, of dollars every year wagering online illegally, they do so with some inherent risk. As nonresidents of the UK, they are not afforded the same protections as UK residents. If they run into a rogue website operator or become entrenched in a dispute with a regulated online gambling site, they have no recourse if things go the wrong way. That is why Indian gamblers are hoping the government will loosen its reigns and start passing legislation to allow online casino and sportsbook operators to operate on Indian soil.

Despite putting pressure on government officials, residents have had little success trying to get the government to legalize online gambling in India. Indian gamblers remain at risk from UK online gambling sites while the government in India misses out on the opportunity to take advantage of tax revenue that is flowing over India’s borders.

As for the future, it is quite possible the people of India will see how people all over the world are starting to accept online gambling as a viable form of adult entertainment. There could come a point where residents will be able to convince government leaders that times are changing and perhaps, India should be changing as well. Until that time comes, Indian gamblers are more than welcome to gamble through UK online gambling sites if they are willing to accept the extra risk.