By StrikeOdds Desk, Editorial team for Indian sports betting and casino
India’s gambling laws are not national – they are state-level. “Betting and gambling” falls under Entry 34 of the State List in the Indian Constitution, which means each state has the authority to regulate gambling within its borders. The result is a patchwork where casinos are legal in Goa but banned in Maharashtra, lotteries are permitted in Kerala but prohibited in Gujarat, and online gambling rules range from explicitly permissive to strictly prohibitive.
This page provides a state-by-state breakdown of gambling laws across India, including which states allow casinos, lotteries, and online gaming, and how PROGA 2025 interacts with existing state legislation.
Important note: PROGA 2025 (the central Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act) claims overriding authority over state laws. However, it has not been formally enforced and faces a Supreme Court challenge. The state laws described below remain relevant because PROGA’s future is uncertain and state-level enforcement continues independently. See our PROGA 2025 Explained page for details on the central law.
States Where Gambling Is Explicitly Regulated
Goa
Goa is India’s most permissive gambling jurisdiction. The Goa, Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act, 1976, allows casinos in five-star hotels and on offshore vessels anchored in the Mandovi River. As of 2026, Goa has 12 onshore casinos and 6 offshore casino vessels, generating significant tourism revenue. Players must be 21 or older. Between April 2021 and February 2026, Goa collected approximately ₹1,749 crore in casino licence fees. However, online betting remains prohibited under the 1976 Act despite the state’s casino-friendly approach.
Sikkim
Sikkim allows casinos in five-star hotels under the Sikkim Casino (Control and Tax) Act, 2002. Only tourists can enter – local residents are prohibited. Sikkim was the first Indian state to create a framework for online gaming through the Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulation) Act, 2008, which allows licensed online gaming but restricts it to players within Sikkim’s borders. Physical casinos include Casino Sikkim and Casino Mahjong.
Nagaland
The Nagaland Prohibition of Gambling and Promotion and Regulation of Online Games of Skill Act, 2016, licenses online games of skill including poker, rummy, and fantasy sports. Importantly, this licence covers games of skill only – it does not authorise sports betting or games of chance. The licence costs ₹50,000 and is valid for five years.
Meghalaya
Meghalaya passed the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act in 2021, which allowed both skill and chance-based games with proper licences. However, the regulatory framework has seen revisions and the state’s position has evolved. The traditional archery-based betting game Teer remains regulated under separate, older legislation and continues to operate legally.
States with Strict Gambling Prohibitions
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh has one of the strictest gambling bans in India. The AP Gaming Act and subsequent amendments prohibit all forms of online gambling including skill games. Both players and operators face penalties including imprisonment up to one year and fines. Online betting is explicitly prohibited.
Telangana
Telangana banned all online gambling in 2017 through amendments to the Telangana Gaming Act, 1974. All online games for money are illegal, including those classified as skill games in other states. The ban covers poker, rummy, fantasy sports, and all forms of online betting.
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu has had a turbulent relationship with online gambling. The state passed a strict ban on online gaming in 2022 with penalties including three months imprisonment and ₹5,000 fines for players. Courts subsequently overturned parts of the ban relating to skill games, but the regulatory environment remains hostile to online gambling.
Assam
The Assam Game and Betting Act, 1970 prohibits all forms of gambling. Online gambling is not explicitly addressed in the Act, but the state’s general prohibition is interpreted to cover digital platforms.
Odisha
The Odisha Prevention of Gambling Act, 1955 prohibits all forms of gambling. The state has maintained strict enforcement against gambling activities.
States Following the Public Gambling Act 1867
The majority of Indian states follow the colonial-era Public Gambling Act of 1867, either as their primary gambling legislation or as the basis for state-level modifications. These include:
Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, and several others.
In these states, the 1867 Act prohibits operating or visiting “common gaming houses” but does not address online gambling because the internet did not exist when the law was written. This creates the legal grey area that most Indian bettors operate in – online betting is not explicitly prohibited, but it is not explicitly permitted either.
Enforcement against individuals using offshore betting sites is virtually non-existent in these states.
States That Permit Lotteries
Thirteen states permit state-run lotteries under the Lotteries (Regulation) Act, 1998:
Goa, Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Sikkim, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Assam.
Kerala is particularly well-known for its robust state lottery system, which generates significant revenue for the state government. State lotteries are the most clearly legal form of gambling available to Indian players in these jurisdictions.
States Where Horse Racing Betting Is Legal
Horse racing betting is legal nationwide following the Supreme Court’s 1996 ruling in K.R. Lakshmanan v. State of Tamil Nadu, which classified horse racing as a game of skill. However, active horse racing and regulated betting is concentrated in a handful of states:
Maharashtra – Home to the Royal Western India Turf Club and the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai.
Tamil Nadu – The Madras Race Club operates in Chennai. Horse racing betting is legal despite the state’s otherwise strict gambling laws.
Karnataka – The Bangalore Turf Club operates at the Bangalore Racecourse. Karnataka has recently proposed legalising online betting on horse racing, which would test PROGA’s overriding authority.
West Bengal – The Royal Calcutta Turf Club is one of the oldest racing clubs in the world.
Telangana and Andhra Pradesh – Horse racing betting is permitted as an exception to the otherwise strict gambling prohibitions.
How PROGA 2025 Interacts with State Laws
PROGA 2025 claims overriding authority over all state gambling laws through Section 18 of the Act. This means that even in states where certain forms of online gaming were permitted (Nagaland for skill games, Sikkim for licensed online gaming), PROGA’s blanket ban would theoretically apply.
This is one of the key grounds for the constitutional challenge – critics argue that the central government has overstepped its authority because “betting and gambling” is a State subject under the Constitution. The Supreme Court has not yet ruled on this issue.
In practice, as of March 2026, state-level gambling laws continue to operate independently. Goa’s casinos remain open, Sikkim’s casinos continue to accept tourists, Kerala’s lotteries are still running, and horse racing betting continues across India. The interaction between PROGA and state laws will only become clear once the Supreme Court rules and the Act is formally enforced.
FAQs
Which Indian states allow casinos?
Physical casinos are legal in Goa (land-based and offshore), Sikkim (in five-star hotels, tourists only), and Daman (under the same framework as Goa).
Which Indian states ban gambling completely?
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu have the strictest bans, prohibiting all forms of online gambling including skill games. Assam and Odisha also maintain broad prohibitions.
Is online betting legal in my state?
In most states, online betting at offshore sportsbooks is neither explicitly legal nor explicitly prohibited. The 1867 Public Gambling Act does not address online gambling. PROGA 2025 bans it centrally but has not been enforced. States like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have specific online gambling bans. Check your state’s specific laws.
Does PROGA 2025 override state gambling laws?
PROGA claims overriding authority, but this is being challenged before the Supreme Court on constitutional grounds. In practice, state laws continue to operate independently as of March 2026.
Is Teer betting legal in Meghalaya?
Yes. Teer (archery-based betting) is regulated under separate state legislation in Meghalaya and continues to operate legally.
Can I play at an offshore casino if my state bans gambling?
Millions of Indians in restrictive states continue to access offshore casinos. No individual has been prosecuted for doing so. However, if your state explicitly bans online gambling (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu), the legal risk is marginally higher than in states with no specific online prohibition.
Are lotteries legal in India?
State-run lotteries are legal in 13 states. Private lotteries are generally prohibited. Whether you can purchase lottery tickets depends on your state’s participation in the lottery system.