⚖️ State‑by‑State Breakdown — Online Betting Laws in India (2025)
India’s gambling regulations are governed by state laws—meaning legality varies widely across the country.
✅ States Allowing Skilled Gaming & Licensed Platforms
- Sikkim
- Regulates online casinos and betting under the Sikkim Online Gaming Act, 2008.
- Licenses valid for intranet-based operators limited to residents of Sikkim lexology.com+5altenar.com+5en.wikipedia.org+5iclg.com+1altenar.com+1yogonet.com+1altenar.com+1.
- Nagaland
- Operates under the 2015 Skill Games Act, licensing skill-based games like poker and fantasy sports .
🔒 States with Explicit Bans
- Telangana
- Since 2017, bans all real-money online gaming (skill & chance) inc42.com+13stories.sakshieducation.com+13iclg.com+13.
- Andhra Pradesh
- From 2020, prohibits online gambling, including skill games stories.sakshieducation.com.
- Tamil Nadu
- Passed a 2023 law banning all games of chance with real money. The High Court has upheld strict rules including Aadhaar-based age checks yogonet.com+10iclg.com+10stories.sakshieducation.com+10.
- Odisha & Assam
- Continue to ban real-money online gaming under traditional state gambling acts gamblinginsider.com+11stories.sakshieducation.com+11iclg.com+11.
- Other Restricted States
- Maharashtra, West Bengal, Kerala, etc. have varying restrictions; land-only casino/lottery laws apply en.wikipedia.org+4en.wikipedia.org+4legalkart.com+4yogonet.com+4legalkart.com+4stories.sakshieducation.com+4.
⚠️ Evolving Legal & Regulatory Overviews
- Karnataka
- 2021 ban was overturned in 2022; now drafting new regulation to distinguish skill vs chance gaming lexology.com+2yogonet.com+2en.wikipedia.org+2.
- Maharashtra
- Working on comprehensive online gaming regulation aimed at curbing fraud altenar.com+15lexology.com+15ndtv.com+15.
- Goa
- Permits land casinos; draft rules for online gambling under review .
📌 Federal Position & Clarifications
- The central government confirms that betting regulation is a state subject, with no national ban en.wikipedia.org.
- Fantasy sports are legally recognized as games of skill, backed by Supreme Court rulings and BHC decisions (Dream11, Fantasy Games legal in multiple states) legalkart.com+5en.wikipedia.org+5en.wikipedia.org+5.
🗺 Summary Table: 2025
| State / UTC | Online Betting Status | Exceptions / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sikkim | ✅ Legal (licensed) | Intranet-only platforms |
| Nagaland | ✅ Legal (licensed) | Skill games (e.g. poker, fantasy) |
| Goa | ⚠️ Land-based only | Online rules pending |
| Karnataka | ⚠️ Regulated (draft stage) | Once banned, now reviewing lexology.com+1iclg.com+1en.wikipedia.org+2yogonet.com+2legalkart.com+2 |
| Maharashtra | ⚠️ Regulated (in progress) | Drafting laws against cyberfraud |
| Tamil Nadu | ❌ Banned | Includes Aadhaar checks |
| Telangana, Andhra, Assam, Odisha | ❌ Banned | No skill exceptions |
| Other states (e.g., Kerala, West Bengal) | ⚠️ Land-based only | Casino/lottery allowed, online illegal † |
† Land-based casino/lottery laws do not apply to online betting; always check for local updates.
🏁 Final Thoughts
India’s online betting scene remains fragmented. Only Sikkim and Nagaland offer licensed online betting, while states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra, Assam, and Odisha have enforced bans. States such as Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Goa are actively reshaping their regulations—signaling that the landscape is still in flux.