Online casino India: An overview
India is a conservative society, and it places importance on the family unit. Gambling activities like online casino games and other gambling activities are seen as a threat to this conservative lifestyle. As a result, Indian casinos online activities are banned at the federal level. However, the federal laws are not watertight. To compensate the federal laws, states are given authority to make, interpret and enforce gambling laws in India.
Unlike most other countries, gambling laws in India are complicated. Laws applying to land casinos may not apply to an online casino India.
Gambling Laws in India
To understand the legal take on online casinos in India, you have to consider the various laws related to gambling. They include federal laws on gambling in India and state laws.
It is important to note these laws as they will help you be on the safe side when gambling. Knowledge of these laws will also help you gamble with ease.
Federal Laws on Gambling in India
At the federal level, all forms of gambling activities are banned in India. To understand this statement, you need to understand India's classification of casino games. In India, casino games are divided into games of skill and games of luck.
Games of skill include games that players have to employ their tactical nous and try to beat the house like poker and blackjack.
Games of luck, on the other hand, involve games that are mostly up to luck. Players do not have to employ any serious tactics. You have lotteries, raffle draws and so on.
The federal ban does not affect an online casino India can access on the internet. This is because the laws do not include online gambling activities abroad. Most online casinos in India are hosted in servers abroad in foreign companies. The federal laws only affect land casinos and other land-based gambling activities that actually physically take place in India.
State Laws on Gambling in India
The intent behind state laws is to complement the shortcomings of the federal laws. However, most states chose to also ban gambling outright or be nonchalant about it. Bans are not regulations and there are very few states regulating Indian casinos online.
Despite their liberal approach to gambling, these states still place some restrictions on gambling activities. Below is a rundown of the legality of online casino activities in the Indian states that regulate gambling:
- Of all the Indian states, only three states (Goa, Sikkim and Daman) are liberal towards gambling in India.
- Goa is the state with the most land-based and floating casinos. However, Goa restricts locals from partaking in gambling activities.
- Land casinos in India do not operate as land casinos. They operate as sections of hotels, bars, restaurants and the likes.
- Land casinos in India also operate.
- Goa also restricts Indian players from gambling on online casino games.
- Sikkim is the most liberal state as regards online casino activities. It has servers that online casino India can connect to after getting a license to operate.
- In 2010, Sikkim wanted to expand the online gambling by offering three online casino licenses. Sikkim also offered its servers to enable online casino activities. The move did not work out.
Besides the states mentioned earlier, most other states either ban online casino activities outright or allow federal laws to take effect. Since most Indian players prefer playing in Indian Rupees, the bans work by limiting banking options. This is done in line with local banks to deny Indian players Indian rupees for gambling.
Identifying Legitimate Online Casinos in India
Online betting is widely accepted by the Indian populace, even when certain laws seem against it. The various bans have done very little to stop Indian players from gambling at any available online casino. Sikkim itself boasts of the best online casino.
Not all Indian Players reside in Daman, Goa and Sikkim. This means that many Indian players are at the mercy of every scam online casino. Indian players can protect themselves by being able to distinguish real online casinos from the fake ones. Below are some tips that will help.
Research About the Originating Company
Every online casino is part of a larger company. The Deltin Casino is just a part of the Deltin Group of Companies. Before playing at any online casino India, ensure to research about the parent company of such online casino.
The parent company will provide you with more information about the casino than the casino itself. You should be wary of any online casino with no parent company. The parent company should either have a license to operate in its originating country or in India (if it is located in a liberal state).
Opt for Casinos with Multiple Payment Options
With banks working with the government to make it difficult to gamble and playing in rupees, you will need alternative banking options. Opt for online casinos in India that offer banking options like Paytm, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller and the likes.
With these banking options, you can transfer your winnings to your bank accounts. You can also use them to credit your online casino wallets without hassle. Compared to bank cards, these banking options are more efficient and effect payment faster.
Avoid Casinos with "Unbelievable" Bonuses
Sometimes, it is greed that causes Indian players to fall victims to scam online casinos. These scam casinos have a habit of offering unbelievable bonuses and free spins to players. Unsuspecting players who fall for this trick only have themselves to blame.
Indian players should protect themselves by avoiding any online casino with ridiculous bonuses. They should avoid such casinos even more if they do not have a license or an originating company.
Always Read Reviews of Other Indian Players
People tend to misquote the term "experience is the best teacher". It does not mean that you always have to learn from your own experience. You can as well learn from the experience of other people.
There are various online casino communities consisting of more experienced online casino Indian players. You should endeavor to ask them questions as regards issues on online casinos. These communities also offer reviews of online casinos. Read these reviews before signing up to any online casino.
Credible Online Casinos in India
There are many legitimate online casinos in India. They include but are not limited to the ones below:
- Betway Casino
- Pure Casino
- Casino Days
- Casumo Casino
- 22Bet Casino
- Genesis Casino
- Europa Casino
- CasinoinCasino
- Twin Casino
- Melbet Casino
- Leovegas Casino
- Bet365 Casino
- Voodoo Dreams Casino
- Royal Panda Casino
- Dafabet Casino
- Rizk Casino
- Unibet Casino
These casinos listed above are mostly offshore casinos that provide Indian players with casino services. However, their services are localized to suit Indian players. They allow Indian player to play using Indian rupees and their customer service hours are round the clock.