Gambling is illegal throughout India, except for Sikkim, Goa, and Daman. However, online casinos are accepting players from throughout India, including Tamil Nadu. Is online gambling legal in Tamilnadu? or is it illegal?
Is this something that you can get in trouble doing?
Is online gambling legal in Tamilnadu?
No, online gambling is not legal in Tamil Nadu. On 21st November 2020, an ordinance was promulgated by the Governor of the state, banning betting, gambling, and online gaming throughout the state. And now, a bill has been introduced in the Legislative Assembly to make amendments in the 1930 Tamil Nadu Gaming Act, 1888 Chennai City Police Act, and 1989 Tamil Nadu District Police Act.
The new amendments ask for a fine of ₹10,000 or imprisonment of up to 2 years, or even both in certain cases, for anyone caught `betting´ or `wagering´ using `instruments of gaming´, `communication devices´ or `computers´. The bill is constructed to include even `games of skill´ like Rummy, Poker, and fantasy gaming, which are otherwise considered to be legal in India.
Why is online gambling banned in Tamil Nadu?
The government of the state has cited addiction among people as a primary reason for banning online gaming. Individuals, especially youngsters, get drawn to such games without completely understanding the financial risks involved and feel cheated as they often end up losing money. There have even been instances of suicides when some individuals have suffered big losses.
Under the law, players from the state will not even be able to buy add-ons for games, or participate in online gaming tournaments by `buying in´, as they involve `electronic transfer of funds to distribute winnings´. According to various critics, such buy-ins and add-ons are a common source of peer pressure, which leads the players to spend money unnecessarily, and may lead to unpleasant experiences down the line.
Is online gambling legal in Tamilnadu? Not as things stand right now.
