Online Gambling

Contents

• What Is Online Gambling in India 

What Is Online Gambling in India 

Online gambling   generally means the use of  internet to place bets and   earn money . It is  similar to playing  in a   casino  but the difference is that it is held in a virtual environment.

This includes  playing of poker, sport games, casino games , etc. Users can place bets through online payment modes such as credit, debit card, internet banking or UPI (most preferred). After placing a bet, wins or losses are paid or collected accordingly.

Online Gaming vs Online Gambling

There is a very thin line between  online gaming and  online gambling with online cricket id  . Multiplayer gaming is a fun and leisure activity which is a way to spend time (virtually) with your loved ones. However,  gambling is betting money against each other and involves a monetary transaction between players.

Most of the  online games   are free and do not require any money to play whereas online gambling requires users to bet (pay) first and then play the game.

Online gaming requires  knowledge and skills to play. The gameplay involves coming up with solution which are posed by developers of the game. Whereas  gambling  mostly relies on luck and probability.

Is Online Gambling Legal in India?

Gambling  laws in India are confusing. This is because of the unclear distinction between ‘games of skills’ and ‘games of chance’. According to Indian laws,  betting on games of chance is illegal whereas betting on games of skill is legal. It’s tricky to determine whether a game falls under a chance or skill categories.

The ruling by Supreme Court 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, reports The Citizen. Therefore, any game that requires a gamer to have a particular skill set is legal.

However,  gambling apps remain at the mercy of payment platforms and state governments which can block a certain app stating ‘legislative ambiguity’.