Mobile gambling has become a big hit in India. Every day after work, millions of people go home to gamble on their smartphones. Then, when the weekend arrives, groups will gather and have a fun together playing online slots, blackjack, and many more games.
Because there is real money involved with mobile gambling, this means that there must be laws and regulations in place to protect people – which is exactly what India has done. In an age where over 748 million Indians own a smartphone (Statista), this is very important.
With that covered, here are four laws regarding mobile gambling in India.
1. Games of Skill Are Legal
In India, gambling is generally separated into two categories.
One of them is ‘games of skill’. Games of skill are 100% legal to play.
For example, online poker is an example of a game of skill. In addition to this, there are also games like blackjack that fall under the category, too.
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However, a license for skill-based gambling games is required in these states:
- Nagaland
- Meghalaya
- Sikkim
This applies to poker, sports fantasy websites, and various other forms of skill-based games.
2. Games of Chance Are Illegal
The 2nd category, ‘games of chance’, are illegal in India. This is why the lottery is banned in most Indian states.
However, Indian states have the right to overrule and make their own decisions regarding the lottery (and other forms of chance-based gambled). This is why states such as Mizoran and Nagaland have legalized the lottery for their residents.
The reason why games of chance are not made entirely legal throughout India is because they are viewed as potentially dangerous to natives. With games of chance, the fate of your funds isn’t in your hands, hence the laws that are in place.
Moving into the future, it remains to be seen whether other states will decide to legalize games of chance or keep their restrictions in place.
3. You Must Be Aged 18 or Above to Gamble on Your Smartphone
To gamble on your smartphone, you must be aged 18 or over.
Surprisingly, India is quite lenient with their minimum age for gambling, as many other countries (such as the United States) require people to be aged 21 or above.
If you gamble and are below the age of 18, this is considered breaking the law.
4. With Parental Permission, People Aged 16-18 Can Gamble – But Not Online
With parental permission, anyone aged 16-18 can gamble online or in person. However, this must be done in a private dwelling-house (home) or in the presence of one parent – otherwise, it’s against the law!
Unfortunately, you cannot gamble online even with parental permission, as it’s impossible to prove that one parent is in your presence while playing the games. For example, if a 17-year-old went to a private dwelling alone and without permission to start gambling on their phone, this would be illegal.