What is the legal situation of online betting in Northeast India?
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Online betting is a contested topic all around India – the same is true right here in Northeast India as well.
Each state in Northeast India has its own laws and legislations when it comes to online betting.
In this article, we aim to break down the most important betting laws in all northeastern states, so you can discover if online betting is legal in your state or not!
Assam
Legislation: The Assam Game and Betting Act of 1970.
According to the gambling laws of Assam, all types of betting is prohibited within the state.
Betting houses are not allowed to operate, and anyone found managing or using a betting house is liable to punishment under the law.
However, there are a few exceptions to the law, such as horse racing, which is considered a game of skill, and lottery. These are both legal in Assam.
Online betting is not specifically mentioned or prohibited under the laws of Assam, which means that residents of Assam are able to use online betting sites without breaking any laws.
Arunachal Pradesh
Legislation: Arunachal Pradesh Gambling (Prohibition) Act, 2012.
Gambling is prohibited in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, with the exception of horse racing (within an approved horse racing ground) as well as lotteries.
For other forms of gambling, a special permit may be obtained which allows you to play skill-based games during festivities and other holidays.
The law makes no specific mention of online betting, which can, therefore, be played legally by residents of Arunachal Pradesh.
Tripura
Legislation: Tripura Gambling Act.
In Tripura, it is forbidden to operate or visit a so-called gaming house, and anyone found within the premises of a gaming house may be arrested and charged with gambling until the contrary is proved.
However, games of mere skill such as billiard, whist and horse racing are allowed within the state, and do not constitute an offence under the gambling act.
Lotteries are also legal within the state, however, they require approval from the local council of administration.
Online betting sites are not specifically mentioned within the law text, so these must be assumed legal in Tripura as well.
Meghalaya
Legislation: Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Ordinance 2021.
In February of 2021, the state of Meghalaya passed it’s most recent gambling law which legalised many gambling activities within the state, including games of skill, as well as games of chance.
The law brings into existence a new governing body known as the Meghalaya Gaming Commission with the goal of regulating gambling activities and gambling operators within the state.
As such, residents of Meghalaya may participate in both physical, as well as online gambling activities, without the fear of any legal repercussions.
Sikkim
Legislation: Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulation) Act 2008.
The state of Sikkim has some of the most liberal gambling laws in India.
In Sikkim, online betting is allowed, and betting and gambling operators may obtain a license from the state authorities to offer their services and pay taxes in the state of Sikkim.
As such, there are no restrictions on any gambling activities in Sikkim; everything from online betting sites to physical casinos are allowed to operate in the state.
Nagaland
Legislation: Nagaland Prohibition of Gambling Act 2015.
In Nagaland, games of skill are legal. This refers to games which are preponderantly skill-based, and where winning does not rely solely on the element of luck.
Skill-based games include activities such as sports betting and horse racing.
This means that online betting, as well as physical betting can be performed legally within the state of Nagaland, without the fear of legal repercussions.
Nagaland also offers a license system wherein gambling companies can apply for a license to legally offer skill-based games to players in Nagaland or other Indian states where this is legal.
Mizoram
Legislation: Public Gambling Act of 1867.
The state of Mizoram does not have it’s own gambling laws, but fall under the federal gambling law known as the Public Gambling Act of 1867.
According to this law, games of chance are prohibited, while games of skill are allowed.
However, the law text only mentions gambling as pertaining to physical gambling houses, and does not make any mention of online betting sites, which are assumed to be legal, so long as the online betting site is situated outside of Indian territory.
Conclusion
As the article above has shown, betting and gambling laws vary widely state by state in northeastern India.
With that said, online betting in India is generally tolerated, as online betting is not directly forbidden according to most local gambling laws.
However, if you are interested in gambling, then we recommend that you continue to do further research into the gambling laws that apply in your state, to ensure that you are not violating any local laws.
