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Gambling laws in India can be somewhat confusing. Some say there is a general prohibition on gambling imposed by federal laws, but these can be overridden by state laws. Others say that gambling, in general, is allowed unless banned by state legislation.
However, what’s even more interesting amid this confusion is the distinction between games of skill and games of chance. This is the reason why in some places playing rummy is considered legal but baccarat isn’t. Both are games that can be played at casinos, but they are being treated differently.
Chance vs luck
According to Indian laws, betting on games of skill is allowed. Betting on games of chance is not. The tricky part here is how to determine which games fall under the chance or skill categories.
To address the matter, India’s Supreme Court issued a ruling that in a way distinguished games of chance and games of skill. The ruling holds that Rummy cannot be classified as a game of chance like three-card games such as flush and brag. This is because Rummy needs players to have a certain level of skill particularly when it comes to memorization.
Based on the rationale laid out by the Supreme Court, games like poker cannot be considered as games of chance. As such, they cannot be prohibited by anti-gambling laws that supposedly target only games of chance.
The same logic is expected to apply to gambling websites or e-casinos. There are many online casinos serving players across India. High-rated gambling sites like Betsson and VooDoo Dreams are some of the best legit options, but it’s worth mentioning that Dafabet is leading for sure when it comes to the player experience
Baccarat is the favorite game in many of the leading online casinos. If the Supreme Court ruling were to prevail absolutely, this game would not be included in many gambling sites. Fortunately, many states did not pass legislation to ban online casinos. Because of this, online gambling, regardless of what game is played, is mostly unrestricted in India.
Offshore gambling sites
India does not have laws that ban offshore gaming sites, except for one state that imposes a total ban on all forms of gambling. Because of this, virtually anyone can offer offshore online gambling services to most people in India.
The only thing the government requires from non-Indian gambling service providers is for them to include the Indian rupee as one of the currencies players can use for their account balances and withdrawals. Other than this, online casinos freely offer an extensive range of games to players in India. In most cases, the distinction between a game of chance and a game of skill is ignored.
To sum it up, you need to inquire about the laws or regulations in the specific jurisdiction where you plan to engage in online gambling. Things can get confusing and you surely would not want to risk getting encumbered by legal action just because you want to enjoy a few hours of online casino playing.
