Where gambling is prohibited or severely restricted, people tend to find ways to still engage in the activity. In India, gambling is heavily restricted but many of the country’s population still place cash bets. That said, the country hasn’t declared an all-out ban on gambling. In fact, there are a few places where people can legally gamble.
Land-Based Casinos in India
The Public Gaming Act of 1867 – yes, it goes way back – is a law that prohibits citizens from running a public gaming house or being in charge of one. Anyone caught in violation of it will be asked to either pay a fine or stay in prison for up to three months.
The law also doesn’t just punish those who run or operate casinos, it’s also pretty serious about imposing penalties on whoever visits gambling houses. A violator can see themselves pay up for a fine or choose to spend time for up to one month in jail.
Gambling in India long had its critics. Many believe engaging in the activity can lead to life in crime. Others strongly feel that placing bets can lead to corruption and even money laundering.
While it has its fair share of critics, gambling has some defenders as well. One of the reasons pro-gambling parties are pushing for the legalization of the activity is that it can be a source of revenue for the state.
This brings us back to laws and gambling in India. While gambling is prohibited, it is a state subject. Meaning, the legalization of gambling is left in the hands of individual states. Currently, there are three places where it is legal to gamble in India: Daman, Goa, and Sikkim.
Daman
Anyone who wants to gamble at a physical venue needs some form of practice. While stumbling into a casino and throwing money at a cards table may sound like fun, it really isn’t when you start to lose money.
If you can’t find a friend or anyone to play poker or blackjack with, you can try online gambling. Since there are too many to choose from, you can go to sites like Live casino reports to show you options and point you in the direction of safe and secure gambling environments. It’s always best to gamble in safe spaces so you don’t have to deal with so much risk.
If Daman is your chosen casino spot, you won’t have to be conflicted about making a choice: there is only one casino so far. The Deltin Group opened the first land-based casino in the area called Deltin Daman Casino with a 60,000 sq. ft. of footage. Currently, it is considered the largest casino in Daman it a thousand gaming machines and more than 30 table games.
Goa
If you want more than one casino option, then Goa is the right fit for you. There are ten casinos in the state, six of which are based on land; the other four are housed in floating vessels (yachts).
Of the land-based casinos, Casino Carnival at the Marriott Resort and Spa in Panjim offers premium entertainment. If you’re looking to gamble in North Goa, the Casino Palms at the La Calypso Hotel in Baga has slot machines, roulette, and blackjack. Another option for gambling in Goa is Casino Paradise located in Pororvin.
If you like huge casino venues, then you would be impressed with what Deltin Royale has to offer. It’s the largest luxury floating casino with over 40,000 square footage, over a hundred gambling tables, and many other forms of entertainment like a kids zone and restaurants. Another large – and somewhat new – casino in Goa is the Casino Pride and Deltin Caravela, both located in Panjim.
You can also try your luck at the Grand 7 Casino in Candolim.
Sikkim
Unlike Goa, Sikkim has three casinos including the two land-based casinos at the moment. The first to open was Casino Sikkim which is located at the Hotel Royal Plaza. The newest one to open in the state is called Casino Mahjong, which is housed in Hotel Mayfair and features quite the selection of slot machines.
Gambling may be technically illegal in India, but since the final decision is left to the state, some have chosen to allow the activity.
Goa, Daman, and Sikkim are the only three places in India that legally allow gambling and casino visits – so far. There are reports about looking into the city of Visakhapatnam in the state of Andhra Pradesh as another potential gambling site, but people still have to wait and see what happens with that.
