Three states, and a river full of boats
India legislates gambling at state level on a federal prohibition dating from 1867. Three states have used that power to license casinos. The Goa, Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act 1976 permits them in hotels of five-star grade and on offshore vessels, which is why Goa's best-known casinos are boats moored in the Mandovi rather than buildings. The Sikkim Casinos (Control and Tax) Act 2002 does the same for five-star hotels there.
Everywhere else in India, a casino is a gambling house under the 1867 act and is prohibited. There is no licensed casino in Mumbai, Delhi or Bangalore, and there is no route to one.
The 2025 online ban, which caught everyone
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025 prohibits all online real-money gaming across India from October 2025, whether the game is one of skill or of chance. It also prohibits advertising such games and facilitating payments for them, and creates a national regulator for the non-monetary online sector.
Two consequences are easy to miss. Sikkim had operated its own online licensing regime for residents, and that exception is superseded. And Goa may continue to license physical casinos while being unable to permit online money gaming at all: the state power over the floor does not extend to the network. Penalties run to three years' imprisonment for organising or participating.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are casinos legal in India?
- In three states. Goa, Sikkim and Daman license physical casinos under their own acts, generally in five-star hotels and, in Goa, on offshore vessels. Elsewhere the Public Gambling Act 1867 prohibits them.
- Is online gambling legal in India?
- No. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025 bans all real-money online gaming nationwide from October 2025, including games of skill, and prohibits advertising and payment facilitation for them.
- Why are Goa's casinos on boats?
- State law permits casinos in five-star hotels and on offshore vessels, so a fleet of them is moored on the Mandovi river. The boats are a licensing category rather than a novelty.
Legal age, regulator and the tax treatment of player winnings on this page were checked against the regulator's own material or a reputable legal summary in August 2026. Gambling law moves; confirm anything consequential with the regulator before relying on it. Where sources disagreed, this site leaves the figure out rather than guessing.