India is a country where gambling is still considered a huge no-no. Besides Goa and Sikkim, there are no other states in India which have any legal operating casinos. While Goa, the haven for tourists, boasts of having 7 brick and mortar casinos and 5 floating cruise ship casinos, Sikkim is a little behind in the race.

Casinos in Sikkim are vying for a chance of promotion through the state government. There is till date, a single casino in Sikkim.

The first of the casinos in Sikkim was introduced by the government itself. Sikkim government, in a bid to make Gangtok a more exciting place for tourists from all over the world, authorized a private company, known as the Teesta Rangit Private Ltd., the installation as well as the legal operation of the first legal casino in Sikkim. Seeing this as a precedence for opening up more casinos in Sikkim, the entrepreneurs as well as the gamblers in Sikkim were delighted by this rather bold movement by the state government.

While there has not been much on the front of opening up more casinos in Sikkim in the very near future, it seems that the casinos in Sikkim will come in through a more virtual route. After the go ahead for one of the finest casinos in Sikkim, as well as the country, the Sikkim government has also decided to offer licenses to three different online casino operators to offer their services in Sikkim.

Nepal has always been the most obvious destination for those who have been wanting to gamble or sample a taste of real casinos. Due to a dearth of casinos in Sikkim, Nepal was the logical and the nearest gambling destination. Though inconvenient, the lack of casinos in Sikkim sent players off to Nepal, in search for some gambling fun. However, after the government decided to give the go ahead for the first of casinos in Sikkim, it was believed for a long time that Sikkim too would follow in the footsteps of Goa and there would be more casinos in Sikkim opening in the coming years.

The first of casinos in Sikkim, opened up in Royal Plaza – a luxury hotel, offers much more than just gambling and some casual fun. This is a serious business place and the first live casino with trained dealers and a Vegas - like ambiance. Over the last two years, the casinos in Sikkim have also grown. This finest of casinos in Sikkim, offers card tables, roulette as well as slot machines to the discerning gambling enthusiasts. Gone are the days when to enjoy a good game of cards, one had to travel across the border to Nepal, or fly all the way to Goa. Tourists as well as locals are now enjoying the North Eastern hospitality and some great games at the casinos in Sikkim.

Initially, for the first of casinos in Sikkim, the government only gave a temporary license. It seems that the government was a little wary and wanted to test the waters first before making a full fledged commitment and opening their doors to what could perhaps be one of the more radical moves that any state government has ever made.

In the year 2010 itself, casinos in Sikkim will see a marked change. There is already a privately owned online lottery by the name of Playwin, operating from the state of Sikkim. Going further, the state of Sikkim is also planning to issue the first licenses for online gambling so that online casinos in Sikkim may begin to finally function.
The casinos in Sikkim have definitely made a bold move and since they have the protection of the state itself, it seems that the casinos in Sikkim offer a great model of business to be emulated.

While India still lacks a comprehensive legislature for both offline and online gambling, casinos in Sikkim offer a workable model of controlled gambling and how this can generate both profits for the discerning entrepreneurs, as well as revenue for the state.
Early in 2010, the state of Sikkim took a leap forward from the casinos in Sikkim, to arrange a bidding for the licenses of online gambling to start online casinos in Sikkim. Though it is not clear whether the online gambling services will only be restricted to Sikkim or would also be available to other players throughout the country, one thing is clear – that online casinos in Sikkim are soon going to be a reality and that the country should learn something from it.

Right now, even though largely online gambling is considered illegal, people in India – especially those who have access to the internet and valid credit cards, continue to have access to online gambling. On the other hand, with the introduction of online casinos in Sikkim, perhaps the central government will be forced to rethink its position on the regulation as well as the licensing regime of online gambling facilities.
Sikkim itself has a meager population of only 600,000 people. This means that if the online casinos in Sikkim are only limited to offering their services to the populace of Sikkim, the income of these online caisnos in Sikkim may be very low. In such a case, it may be more logical to allow these casinos in Sikkim to advertise for their services outside of the state as well as the country a well.

Right now, William Hill, Bet365, 888.com, Bwin and Betfair along with Ladbrokes casino have bid for the licenses available for online casinos in Sikkim. Apart from the casinos in Sikkim and Goa, the Indian players can right now only indulge in betting on horse races, if they want to bet legally. However, with the probable changes in the horizon for betting and gambling, due to the opening up of online casinos in Sikkim, the entire gambling scene in India might undergo a complete turn around. It is hoped currently that the Indian government would finally make a decision and legalise gambling, subject to fulfilling of betting and wagering restrictions.