Delhi is the capital of India but it was not considered to be a state until recently. It was a union territory and so it meant that a lot of the laws applicable were framed by the center. This has changed in recent years and a few more powers have been given to the elected state government but Delhi is not a ‘full state' still. Is gambling legal in Delhi? There are a few gray areas here that are often exploited. Here is what you should know.
Is gambling legal in Delhi?
Gambling, as things stand right now, is not explicitly legal in Delhi. Here is the kicker, though, when you speak about online gambling at online casinos or online betting sites that are registered outside India, there is nothing in the law that makes it illegal.
Delhi does not have a separate law to deal with online gaming like some states in India do and that is why the same basic central laws apply that are present in the other parts of the country. This means that the Public Gambling Act of 1867 is the primary law that bans gambling in India and in Delhi.
That law mentions nothing about online betting because the internet itself did not exist at that time.
Now, whether you want to look at it as a technicality or as something that should have been amended by the government in the 140 years or so that the law has been in place is entirely up to you. What we know is that there are a number of online casinos that are using this loophole to offer service in India.
Is gambling legal in Delhi? As we said, it is complicated! We think online gambling is legal for sure but you may want to take a legal opinion on that as well.
