Betting on Cricket in India
India’s stance on gambling has been rather open. The laws, rules, and regulations made to control the gambling industry are open to interpretation. As of 2022, betting in India is restricted but some of the laws are not applicable to online betting on cricket.
Is offline betting on cricket allowed in India? The answer is no. The government completely prohibits any betting activities on cricket in the offline mode. It is a punishable offense. If caught, there can be a hefty fine and a few years of imprisonment. The law is clear on this matter.
Things, however, are different when it comes to online betting in India. Online betting is a state subject. According to the central government, if an online casino is operating outside of India and allows Indian players to place bets or ‘Satta’ on cricket matches in the Indian currency, that is, the rupee, betting on cricket will be considered legal in India. This can turn illegal if the state in which you are living or staying prohibits it.
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Legal Acts on Betting in India
There are three major acts of gambling in India and to understand if online betting on cricket really is legal, all three need to be explored. The Public Gambling Act of 1867 is the first-ever act of its kind that prohibits running a public gambling house. This is a central law which means that it applies throughout the country. If someone is found operating a public gambling house, they will be fined and sent to jail.
This outlaws all offline cricket betting houses or offline cricket Satta bazaars in India. A few games get respite here which are classified as games of skill. For example, rummy where players can show his/her skills. However, no leniency is shown towards games of chance, which is betting on cricket.
Next came the Prize Competition Act of 1955. This law restricts gambling activities that would result in winnings or prizes. This means that no prizes above 1000 rupees can be given prizes even for solving crosswords, puzzles, numbers, crosswords, or games of a similar kind.
When these two laws were enforced, betting on cricket was almost impossible because offline betting houses were off-limits and the online casino industry was still in its infancy. Finally, with the Information Technology Act 2000, things started looking brighter for punters.
This act regulates cyber activities within the country. As it does not talk about betting or gambling, the question of whether online casinos are legal or not is up for interpretation.
The Centre and the States
After the Information Technology Act 2000, the central government did not try to clarify anything about online gambling. As the other two laws are still running, offline gambling is out of the question. So, what about online betting on cricket in India.
Well, the answer in parts is ‘yes.’ You can bet online on cricket in India if the casino is situated and operates in a foreign land. Additionally, the casino should allow betting in the Indian rupee and the betting activities should not manipulate the outcome of the match.
If these conditions are fulfilled, you can bet online on cricket. However, there is one more factor you need to consider, that is, the permission of the state.
As the centre did not take a firm stand on online gambling, the final interpretation of the law was left to the states. So, if any state decides to rule against online gambling, it will be deemed illegal in that country.
Conclusion
If the online casino follows the rules laid by the central government and the state allows it, it is legal to bet on cricket in India. Before you start depositing your money, make sure that you are on a regulated platform. You must be at least 18 years old before you sign up.
