The Indian subcontinent continues to be one of the largest commercial centers in the world. A great place for foreign investment, India is a haven for all those who are looking for consumers for their products and services. Unfortunately, online casino gambling continues to remain off limits to both Indians and the online casino gambling operators who have been vying India for quite some time.
There are no clear regulations for online casino gambling in India per se. besides the complete lack of specific regulation on online casino gambling, the Indian state has a gambling law which is older than even the independent country itself. According to the Indian Gambling Act of 1867, gambling and betting of any kind is prohibited on Indian soil. Apart from lottery and horse racing, there are no other avenues of online casino gambling or online casino betting as well.
The only land based casinos in India are in the state of Goa and Sikkim. Goa has 12 casinos, while Sikkim has only one. The government remains detached to the gambling scenario in India and not much has been done in the way of regulation. However, online casino gambling has been seen as one of the fastest growing industries all over the world. There are many reasons why people want to be a part of the gambling action. Not only is there a lot of money involved, but online casino gambling is also convenient as well as fun.
Today, to get any kind of online casino gambling or brick and mortar gambling action, Indians have to either make plans to go to Goa, or have to visit the neighbouring country of Nepal, where casinos operate freely. Goa fortunately also has waterborne casinos. The passengers are picked up by large yachts from the shores of Goa and are then taken to foreign waters where the gambling fun can begin. This is an interesting concept, keeping in mind that India does not allow such kind of gambling activities in its own political territory.
Though these yachts often present an interesting alternative to online casino gambling, the ease and the comfort of online casino gambling is still missing. Not only do passengers have to bear huge expenses to be on board these luxury yachts, but they also have to travel to Goa to be part of all the action.
These yachts also encourage only foreign passengers or very rich Indians, therefore disallowing other casual gamblers from boarding. This makes online casino gambling or gambling of any sort, for that matter, completely off limits. Yet, the polo grounds at New Delhi do offer sports betting on horse races and polo games. There is no wonder why many flock to the grounds during the racing season.
Online casino gambling or online casino betting is not yet regulated by the government and therefore these kinds of sports betting facilities are not accessible to everyone who wants to be a part of it. The lottery itself is state controlled and different states have different kinds of lotteries, while there are some states which do not have a lottery at all.
There are raging arguments about the validity of the Indian Gambling Act of 1867, especially since it does not mention anything about online casino gambling. Yet, online casino gambling was not invented at the time that the law was written and therefore the need to introduce new legislations has been felt.
When it comes to offline gambling, the government of India has instituted a regime of fines for those who either provide a place for others to gamble or indulge in gambling themselves. Time and again, the police gets hold of those who have been gambling. However, there are many online casino gambling operators who offer their services to Indian players, since the law does not specifically talk about online casino gambling.
This lack or regulation on online casino gambling can be very confusing for both the government as well as the online casino gambling operators who wish to extend their services to India. The fact is that the country needs a better and more specific law for gambling so that these confusions can be cleared. A lot of people feel that while gambling should be made lawful, the government could impose restrictions on betting and wagering amounts. Meanwhile making online casino gambling legal in India can help keep the poor people out of the entire gambling circuit.
There are some online casinos like Bet365, William Hill, 888 Casino and Jackpotcity that have been eyeing the Indian market for quite some time. These online casino gambling operators are not only reputed throughout the world, but also have quite a loyal following. This points out to the fact that not all online casino gambling facilities are fraudulent and the government should give a chance to these international brands to set up shop here.
Today the scenario is such that the government has not been able to provide any specific laws relating to online casino gambling. Neither has the government instated any IT Acts over the use of online casino gambling. Therefore, anyone who has an internet connection and a credit card, can be a part of the online casino gambling scenario by making an account and a deposit with an online casino gambling operator who is willing to offer their services in India. If the government is really not planning to look the other way as this continues, a clear, concise and relevant law should be instituted for online casino gambling.
If there are any chances of the online casino gambling to be more effective and regulated in India, it is only when the government itself shows some initiative and takes the matters into its own hands. Right now the government claims that the ancient law which was drafted in 1867 still prohibits any kind of gambling, but the language that the law is framed in is such that the entire realm of online casino gambling is completely excluded from this law.
Meanwhile the state of Sikkim has decided to issue licenses to three different online casino gambling operators to begin operating in the state. This means that the online casino gambling market in India is opening up and the government will not have to be pushed forward to make sure that a law is instated to control online casino gambling activities.
