Last updated: 7 April 2026
Introduction
The legal status of online betting in India is complex, evolving and varies significantly depending on both federal and state law. India does not have a single, unified gambling law — instead, the legal framework is a patchwork of a 150-year-old colonial-era statute, a recent federal ban, state-level regulations, ongoing constitutional litigation, and active enforcement campaigns. This page provides a factual overview of the current legal position as of April 2026 based on publicly available legislative and judicial sources.
Constitutional Foundation
Under the Constitution of India, gambling falls under Entry 34 of List II (State List) of the Seventh Schedule — meaning individual states have the primary power to legislate on gambling within their territories. This state-subject classification has been the foundation of India's gambling regulation since independence and is central to the current constitutional challenge to the federal PROGA 2025 law.
The Public Gambling Act, 1867, enacted during British colonial rule, is the foundational central legislation on gambling. It remains in force in many Indian states that have not enacted their own replacement statutes. The Act prohibits operating a "common gaming house" and being found in one, but was written long before the internet existed and does not explicitly address online gambling.
Indian courts have historically distinguished between "games of skill" (exempt from gambling prohibitions) and "games of chance" (prohibited). The Supreme Court upheld this distinction in multiple rulings. Sports betting has traditionally been classified as a "game of chance" under most state interpretations — unlike, for example, horse racing, which the Supreme Court classified as a game of skill in its 1996 ruling.
The Online Gaming Act, 2025 (PROGA)
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 (PROGA) was passed by both Houses of the Indian Parliament and received Presidential assent on 22 August 2025. It represents the most significant federal intervention in gambling regulation in India's history, imposing a blanket prohibition on all "online money games" — defined as any game played over the internet for money, tokens or any stakes that are convertible to monetary value, with the expectation of monetary reward.
This definition encompasses online betting on sports, including cricket. The Act does not exempt any form of online real-money gaming from its scope, regardless of whether the activity is classified as a "game of skill" or "game of chance".
Penalties under PROGA are severe: operators face up to 3 years imprisonment and fines up to ₹1 Crore. Advertisers and promoters face up to 2 years imprisonment and fines up to ₹50 Lakh. Financial facilitators (payment processors, banks) that knowingly enable transactions for prohibited online gaming face similar penalties.
Crucially, the Act primarily targets operators, advertisers, and payment facilitators — not individual users. The law's enforcement focus has been on blocking access to gambling websites and disrupting payment channels rather than prosecuting individuals who place bets.
Enforcement has been active: as of early 2026, over 7,800 gambling and betting websites have been blocked by Indian authorities since October 2025, with 242 additional domains blocked in February 2026 alone. Payment gateways have been directed to block transactions to known gambling operators.
However, a constitutional challenge to PROGA is pending before the Supreme Court of India. A hearing was held on 21 January 2026 — as of April 2026, no ruling has been issued. The key legal argument centres on federalism: gambling is a State subject under Entry 34 of List II of the Constitution, and challengers argue that the central government may have overstepped its legislative competence by enacting a federal prohibition on a state-list matter. The formal implementing Rules under PROGA also remain unnotified, meaning the full regulatory machinery is not yet operational.
State-Level Overview
States with explicit prohibitions: Telangana (Telangana Gaming Act, 2017), Andhra Pradesh (AP Gaming Act amendment, 2020), Tamil Nadu (TN Prohibition of Online Gambling Act — enacted, challenged, re-enacted), Assam (Assam Game and Betting Act) and Odisha (Odisha Prevention of Gambling Act) have enacted specific legislation prohibiting online gambling and betting.
States with regulated gaming: Sikkim has issued online gaming licences under the Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulation) Act, 2008 — though its scope post-PROGA is uncertain. Goa permits land-based casinos in designated areas. Nagaland passed the Nagaland Prohibition of Gambling and Promotion and Regulation of Online Games of Skill Act, 2015, distinguishing skill games from chance games.
States relying on the Public Gambling Act: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and several other states still rely primarily on the 1867 Public Gambling Act, which predates online gambling and creates legal ambiguity. The recently enacted Haryana Prevention of Public Gambling Act, 2025 explicitly addresses online gambling.
What Remains Legal
Horse racing betting at licensed racecourses remains legal — the Supreme Court classified it as a game of skill in its 1996 ruling, and this exemption has survived subsequent legal challenges. State lotteries are legal in the 13 states that operate government-authorised lottery schemes. Esports and free-to-play games (without real-money stakes) are permitted under PROGA 2025. "Online social games" where no real money, tokens or convertible stakes are involved are also permitted.
What This Means For You
If you are in India, you should be aware that online betting on cricket and other sports currently falls under the prohibition of PROGA 2025. Enforcement to date has focused on operators, advertisers and payment facilitators — individual users have not been the primary enforcement target. However, this does NOT mean individual use is explicitly authorised — the legal position is ambiguous and evolving, particularly pending the Supreme Court's ruling on the constitutional challenge.
We strongly recommend: (1) understanding the specific legal status of online betting in your state, (2) consulting a qualified legal professional if you are uncertain about your position, (3) never betting money you cannot afford to lose regardless of the legal situation. CricketMatchDay provides this information as a factual summary of publicly available legal sources — we do NOT provide legal advice and do NOT encourage illegal gambling in any jurisdiction.
Disclaimer
This page is for informational purposes ONLY and does not constitute legal advice. Laws change — information on this page reflects our understanding as of April 2026 based on publicly available legislative texts, court records and government communications. Always verify current legal requirements with official government sources (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, state government legal departments) or a qualified Indian lawyer. For responsible gambling resources, see Responsible Gambling.