Is Online Poker Legal in India?
It is a question boggling many minds today. It was not very long when India had banned all forms of gambling with cards. But in recent times, there have been some changes in the law and some cards games have been declared to be legal. Though this legality varies across states, it is safe to say that online poker wouldn’t get you into trouble anywhere in India.
The 1996 verdict of legalizing horse racing and declaring it to be a game of mere skill and something more than just gambling led the way to make poker legal in India. After the benches of Calcutta and Karnataka high courts ordered that the police and enforcement cannot interfere with casinos and poker games, Online Poker Game gained a better ground towards getting legalized.
Must Read: The Evolution of the Online Poker Industry in India During the Past Decade
- Which States Have Legalized Poker
| Assam | Illegal |
| Andhra Pradesh | Illegal |
| Karnataka | Legal |
| Goa | Legal |
| Gujrat | Illegal |
| Kerala | Legal |
| Maharashtra | Legal |
| Tamil Nadu | Illegal |
| Nagaland | Legal |
| Orissa | Illegal |
| Sikkim | Legal |
| Telangana | Legal |
| West Bengal | Legal |
Most states still have not legalized poker in the offline format but online poker is gaining ground very fast. Poker is slowly and steadily getting popular with everyone and not just confined to closed door parties.
- How Safe is Online Poker?
Now the biggest question is how safe is your money when you play poker online? With offline poker, you are sure that everyone gets random cards and the play is fair. But is online poker rigged? Can it be hacked? The answer is no if you are in the right platform. If your platform has a RNG certification, then this ensures that a random card will be generated for each and every player every time. Know more about The Top 5 Poker Players in India to Watch Out For
iTech Labs based in Australia has certified that there is not a single rig in the process and the whole system is very secured and difficult to hack.
Another important to ensuring security is having a very tight KYC process. These platforms require you to submit your Permanent Account Number (PAN) and every time you request a cash draw out, the money gets deposited to a bank account with the linked PAN number. This way, there is no chance to misplace or jumble up your earnings with that of others.
- Bots in Online Poker
Poker game in India is relatively new and more confined to the online platforms. Now online platform security can be compromised if a bot is replaced by a human in the game. Bots are programs in the computer which are designed to play against humans. These bots work by integrating mathematical concepts. If used correctly, bots will ensure profit for the user. This will in the process leave you in loss. So, if your platform cannot ensure blocking bots, then forget the assurance of fair play.
To ensure the blocking of bots, a simple CAPTCHA program would suffice. This program ensures bot blocking at low intervals. Some online platforms have a dedicated team of security to keep a check and prevent fraudulent activities from taking place. A single chip dumping or collusion activity will be heavily penalized within no time.
The Future of Poker in India
With the rules now changing and the courts being a little more lenient on poker, many people are taking the game professionally. Indian law classifies these games into two segments. Game of skill and Game of chance. Luckily enough, it has been proven in many courts of law that poker is not just a game of chance and requires a skill set to master. So, if you are looking to be a professional in poker game in India, then you might be in luck.
Check out these Top 10 Poker Sites in India
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