Playing Online Casino Games in India: The Essential Guide

New to the world of online casino sphere? Not sure where to start? Lucky for you, we’re experts in the field. That’s right; we’ll be providing you with all there is to know about the most popular online casinos in India, the games you can play, the bonuses you can win, any Indian gambling laws you should take note of, online safety and everything else in between.

What is an Online Casino?

Perhaps it’s only right to start this off with a basic definition of an online casino. In short, it’s no different from a land-based casino, bar a couple of obvious difference.

Land-based casinos require you to actually visit the venue if you want to play casino games like slots, roulette and blackjack. Online casinos offer more convenience; in fact, you simply need your desktop or mobile device and you’re good to go.

Land-Based vs Online Casino Gaming

Whilst both experiences offer something special to the player, an online casino seems to offer more perks and goodies to the player. For starters, you have the option to play for free or for real money. Especially if you’re new to the scene, this will certainly come in handy as you can first choose to play with no risks involved prior to diving into the real-money action.

On top of that you can also get your hands on multiple bonuses, including a welcome bonus. Although only newly-registered players are eligible for the latter, existing players aren’t forgotten. In fact, they can also get their hands on timed bonuses including monthly/weekly/daily offers, reload bonuses, refer to friend bonuses and even loyalty bonuses!

Obviously, portability is a deal-breaker here. If for some reason or another you can’t go to a casino venue, you can just enjoy the online gaming experience from the comfort of your home. If you’re stuck in a queue, or you simply want to kill some time, you can enjoy the very same games and prizes right in the palm of your hand.

Land Casinos in India: Laws and Legislation

Whilst Indian casinos continue to generate a lot of excitement amongst Indian players, the topic has been the subject of many debacles. As you know, India’s gambling laws are incredibly strict. Since they are extremely archaic and outdated, this complicates things even more.

Before we delve into the legalities, we’re going to give you a brief overview. We will first refer to the Public Gambling Act, 1867 – a 145-year-old legislative document that was created during British rule.

To summarise some of its contents, it is stated that the operation of Indian casinos, the visiting of gambling venues and any assisting, financial gambling and devices linked to gambling are punishable by law. If you are caught doing any of the aforementioned activities, you can be fined ₹200, or you can even face up to 3 months in prison.

Without a doubt, the inconsistencies of this document contribute to most of the confusion the Indian gambling market has to face. In particular, the following statement contributes to most of the inconsistencies and confusion within the Indian gambling market: “Nothing in this Act shall apply to games of mere skill wherever played”.

This leads us to the all-important discussion regarding what can be classed as games of skill and games of chance. Can casino games like poker be classed as a game of skill or chance? Check out what we have to say below.

Games of Skill Vs Games of Chance

If you’re not familiar with the Public Gambling Act, 1867, you need to understand that India classifies gambling into two sections - Games of Skill and Games of Chance. Since gambling enthusiasts are placing bets on another person’s abilities in Games of Skill, these types of games aren’t really an issue.

With Games of Chance, it’s another story. Since they work with the Random Number Generator, players are placing bets FOR that result. This is where things get more confusing. In fact, lawmakers still cannot decide whether games like poker and rummy are games of chance or games of skill.

From our point of view, the luck factor is indeed prevalent, however, you can exclude the fact that you need to have basic game skills and knowledge of the game prior to placing bets.

Land-Based Gambling

So, to answer the question related to land-based gambling, it really depends on where you’re located in India. In fact, it is not legal in most parts of India, however it is allowed in some states. At the time of writing, only Goa, Sikkim and the union territory of Daman and Diu. We can only hope the situation changes in the very near future.

Online Gambling

As far as online gambling is concerned, things are even more confusing. Up to this point in time, the operation of online casinos in India is completely prohibited. In short, providers cannot set up shop in India, and they cannot promote any services or material related to the subject.

Whilst online casino enthusiasts continue to express their interest in legal and fair gambling, lawmakers still do not concur. Seeing as unregulated gambling as surfaced many times on the net, the Indian government feels that it cannot give the green-light just yet.

That said, it’s not all bad for players who want to play at a casino online. In fact, you have free rein to create an account with an offshore casino for Indian players. However, you still have to abide by the following regulations

• The online casino in question has to be licensed by a legit gaming body
• You have to be at least 18 years old (Depending on the T&Cs set by your online casino provider)
• All online casinos in India that can be accessed by players have to be Rupee-friendly

How to Find Reputable Casino Sites in India

So, how can you kickstart your online casino experience with a bang? First of all, you need to do your research – a lot of it. Whilst there are a number of online casinos in India that are available to Indian players, you need to find the one that works best for you.

This means you have to do your own evaluation with regard to the services provided. This includes the real money games and bonuses offered, the available features, if you can play with rupees, excellent customer service and everything else in between. In a nutshell, a great casino for Indian players should be able to exceed expectations.

Here’s a full checklist of what you should expect to find at most Indian Casinos:

• A Valid Licence
• Game Variety
• Decent Bonuses and Promotions
• A Generous Welcome Bonus
• Fair Terms and Conditions
• Decent Wagering Requirements and Fair Time Limits
• A Casino that Accepts Indian Players who Play with Rupees
• A Wide Selection of Banking Solutions (E.g. Neteller, VISA, Mastercard, PayPal)
• 100% Mobile-Friendly
• Excellent Customer Support & Live Chat

The Registration Process

Once you complete the search, you need to set up your online casino account. It’s nothing too difficult – in fact, the process takes approximately 2-3 minutes at most.

Start by launching the online casino in question. Take the time to fill in your personal and bank details on the pop-up menu that usually appears on the welcome page. Next, issue a deposit to be eligible for the welcome bonus package. All that’s left to do is just one final thing – start playing real money games to win big!

Types of Real Money Games

You’ll be delighted to know that most online casinos in India are jam-packed with an array of real money games for every Indian player out there. Whether you’re an online casino player who enjoys slots or whether you fancy a good old table game, the options are endless. In the upcoming sections, we’ll be delving into more detail with regard to the games available on online casinos in India.

Slot Machines

Looking for some free spins? Slots are your best bet! Although they’ve been around for centuries’ end, they still continue to entertain online casino gambling enthusiasts across the globe. But what’s so special about them?

Whilst they don’t require you to have any prior knowledge, there’s just something special about them. It all starts with a click of a button – the reels start moving and once they stop spinning, they will reveal the winning combination. And just like that, you may be walking a way with some free spins, wilds and even a lucrative jackpot!

Although the concept of online slots remains the same, the variety is impeccable. Talented designers who work with reputable companies such as NetEnt, Microgaming and Playtech continue to raise the bar every single time. In fact, they play around with different themes including adventure, arcade, Ancient Greece, the Orient, and even Pop Culture. Some great examples include the likes of Starburst, Book of Dead, Immortal Romance, The Dark Knight, Game of Thrones 243 Ways and other cracking titles.

Table Games

Nothing quite compares to a classic table game. As opposed to slots, table games require you to think a little harder about each and every move you make throughout the entire duration of the game. That said, it’s not impossible to win. It all boils down to luck; however both you -the player and the casino have equal chances of winning.

A number of table games are available to Indian players. Some of the most popular ones include Roulette, Blackjack, Poker, Teen Patti and many others. What’s great about table games is that you can choose from a wide range of traditional ones and others that come with a twist.

This means that while real money games like European Roulette, American Roulette, Classic Blackjack can be accessed at any point, there’s no harm in spicing things up with titles like 3D Roulette, Speed Blackjack, Multi-Deck Blackjack, Double Ball Roulette and other titles.

Live Casino Games

If you really want to raise the stakes, look no further than live casino. Seasoned table game players never miss out on a chance to give the live variants a whirl – and with good reason! Whilst there’s certainly nothing wrong with the standard versions, live casino takes the cake.

The live dealer experience allows you to above and beyond your online casino gaming experience. As opposed to the traditional table games, in this case, you are playing in real-time. This means that all live games are streamed from casino studios or prestigious venues around the globe. This alone makes your gaming experience more engaging.

But that’s not all that’s not all that you can do with live casino! You can choose your very own casino room and table. In fact, you can even choose a VIP table if you’re feeling fancy. Of course, we cannot forget about the live host. He’ll be in charge of dealing the bets and making sure you have a good time. What’s not to like?!

Bingo

Our list of online casino games isn’t complete without a true classic – Bingo. Like scratch cards, this is also an ideal option for those Indian players who aren’t looking for anything too complicated. Just like land-based bingo, online bingo follows the same rules with the exception of a few minor differences.

Since it’s an online casino, you obviously won’t be purchasing any physical tickets. In this case, you will buy them when you’re signed in to your account. All numbers drawn will then automatically be marked on your screen. Other than that, numerous online casinos in India offer the same titles you would expect to find at bingo halls including 75-ball online bingo and 90-ball online bingo.

Discover the Best Casino Sites

Now that we’ve established all there is to know about the best casinos in India, we think it’s time to name-drop a few.

Since we are experts in the field, we’ve seen it all – the good, the bad and the ugly. Lucky for you, you’ll only be dealing with the most reputable online casinos in India. We’ve taken all the necessary measures to ensure that you can play at a casino online with peace of mind.

This doesn’t just mean we’re interested in just the games and what’s up for grabs – we are looking at the full package here. Bearing this in mind, we can think of one contender that offers everything under one roof.

Time and time again, Dafabet has proved to be one of the best casinos in India. Not only can you play real money games such as slots, table games and live casino, but you can also engage in sports betting. When you play at a casino online such as the aforementioned one, you just know you’re going to get the full experience.

Responsible Gaming: How to be Safe Online

Whilst we’re about the thrills and the fun that comes with online casino games, there are other important issues all Indian players should take note of. As casino experts, we feel it’s important to educate our readers about what it means to gamble responsibly and how to be safe online.

First of all, we always urge players to never sign up to providers don’t appear to have a valid licence and/or other documentation that prove it’s 100% legit. Given that unregulated gambling is continuously on the rise, it’s essential that you never take shortcuts.

It also goes without saying that you have to be at least 18 years old to sign up to online casinos in India. Some providers will even require to be at least 21 years of age, depending on the Terms and Conditions.

We strongly recommend you to keep your account to yourself at all times. It’s important to change passwords every now and then, especially if you share a computer with younger family members. In addition to that, it’s best to always log off when you’re done playing for the day.

We understand that thrill of winning a jackpot is exciting, however, you should never make this a priority in your life. Online gambling is just pure entertainment – nothing else. It shouldn’t be considered as a way to make ends meet and it shouldn’t replace the loved ones in your life.

To make sure that you are gambling responsibly, we urge you to make use of the built-in features that are available on most online platforms. Some of these allow you to set time limits, budgets and even self-exclusion or complete account closure.

People who prioritize gambling tend to develop a gambling addiction. Unfortunately, this has its own repercussions. However, there are experienced professionals who are willing to help those who are battling problem gambling. If you think you need more information on the topic, don’t hesitate to seek help at begambleaware.org.