Minimum age

Gambling around the world has a lot of different rules in place. The minimum age to gamble is one of the most important rules as it can lead to a lot of trouble if people try to get around it. This is no different in India where there are various age related laws in place in relation to gambling. We’re going to take a quick look at the laws to help you make sure that you don’t fall foul of the regulations. It’s important to realise that there are some complications around gambling laws in India, so it’s important to explain them first in order to get the full picture.

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Is it legal to gamble?

This is actually a grey area. There are no dedicated laws in place within the government framework that specifically deals with gambling with full clarity. There is a lot of ambiguity that can make it difficult for Indian players to know whether they have broken the law or not. As such there are very few examples of charges being brought against people who have decided to gamble in India. There are a number of different games that are offered across the country and they are delivered in many different ways.

There are some loopholes that mean the gambling legislation that’s in place within India is subject to interpretation across the country. The different states in the country all believe that gambling is a state issue and therefore they have their own regulations and legislation in place. This means that across the country you can gamble in most places. It’s due to the high level of popularity that gambling holds, although there are still some games that aren’t allowed.

What’s not allowed?

In regards to land based casinos, they must have a five star hotel attached if they are to be opened. This ensures that the gambling aspect isn’t the sole point of the venue. There are also additional taxes and licence fees in place as well. There are also just a few states where casinos can be opened which means that the country doesn’t become overrun with places to gamble.

In terms of online gambling, it’s not legal to operate an online gambling site within India. However, offshore sites are still allowed to be used. This means that online casinos that operate outside of the Indian territory can be used by players inside India. It could be said that this is a slightly misleading statement, because technically there is a fine in place for anyone caught using these sites. However, no-one is ever charged for it and the authorities turn a blind eye to the practice, meaning that players can and do use the services without any fear of being arrested or fined.

What is allowed?

There are some specific games that allow players to gamble with complete impunity. Sports betting and lotteries are covered by gambling regulations. This means that players can take part in these activities without having to worry about the possibility of being fined. The most popular sport to bet on in the country is cricket, which is without a doubt India’s favourite pastime. Part of the reason behind betting on cricket being allowed is that the influx of illegal sportsbooks in the country meant that match fixing had become a big problem. The government worked towards solving this problem by ensuring that betting on cricket was deemed legal.

The lotteries are a slightly more complicated matter. The Indian government says that lotteries are allowed as long as they are drawn just once a week. But, the individual states believe that the regularity of how often the lotteries are drawn is a state matter. As such they draw them whenever they see fit. This can sometimes see lottery draws taking place multiple times within an hour. There is a kind of lottery called Satta Matka that has been outlawed within the country, so that’s the only real exception to the rule.

Legal age to gamble in India

There are two distinct different areas that are covered for the minimum age for gambling within India. The first is for at land based casinos. Players who like to play at land based casinos must be a minimum of 21 in order to play. This is because the states desire for players to be a little more mature than the government laws outline in order to allow them to play. There are even some casinos that expect players to be 25, but these are not as common as casinos with a 21 minimum age.

In order to play at online casinos then players must be 18. This is the standard age for gambling across the majority of the world and the age that is given via the government regulations. So, if you’re 18 and want to gamble then online casinos are the only real choice for you.