Cricket Betting Laws in India: The 2025 Act, Then the States
Is cricket betting legal in India?
No. Online cricket betting for money is prohibited in every Indian state from 1 May 2026. The 2025 Act bans offering online money games, advertising them, and handling payments for them, whether the game is skill or chance. The table below is older state law for offline play, not permission to stake online.
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The statute in full is on the Online Gaming Act 2025 explainer. How it sits against state statutes is on does the Act override state gambling laws.
State gambling statutes (offline overlay)
These labels describe older state gambling law. They do not reopen online cricket betting.
Check your state overlay
Use this for horse racing, lottery and offline rules. Online money games are banned in every state.
Check the legal status in your state
This is for informational purposes only, not legal advice.
Full status table
Allowed / banned / penalties columns refer to state gambling statutes, not to online cricket exchanges.
| State | Status | Allowed | Banned | Penalties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | Strictly Prohibited | None. | Online rummy, poker, and sports betting. | Up to 1 year imprisonment. |
| Delhi | Grey Area | Skill games; lottery. | Public gambling houses. | Fines under the 1867 Act. |
| Gujarat | Strictly Prohibited | None. | All forms of betting including online. | Imprisonment and heavy fines. |
| Karnataka | Grey Area | Skill-based games; horse racing at Bangalore Turf Club. | Pure games of chance. | Pure betting remains legally exposed if classified as 'chance'. |
| Maharashtra | Strictly Prohibited | Horse racing at Mahalaxmi or Pune racecourses; state-run lottery. | All forms of online sports betting and casino-style games. | First offense can lead to a fine of ₹200 and up to 1 month imprisonment. |
| Rajasthan | Grey Area | Skill games; lottery. | Physical gambling dens. | Fines under the 1867 Act. |
| Tamil Nadu | Strictly Prohibited | Horse racing; non-stake skill games. | All forms of online gambling for real money. | Fine up to ₹5,000 and 3 months imprisonment. |
| Telangana | Strictly Prohibited | None. | All online betting and skill games for money. | Hefty fines and imprisonment. |
| Uttar Pradesh | Grey Area | Skill games. | Public gaming houses. | Standard fines under central law. |
| West Bengal | Grey Area | Card games (Rummy, Poker, Bridge); Horse racing at RCTC. | Street betting; unlicensed lottery. | Fines and short imprisonment. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is cricket betting legal in every Indian state?
Online, no. The 2025 Act prohibits online money games nationwide, so there is no state where online real-money cricket betting is lawful. Offline, state gambling statutes still differ for horse racing, lotteries and in-person play. The table on this page is that overlay, not a map of where you can open an online ID.
Is there a national law on online cricket betting in India?
Yes. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, in force from 1 May 2026, prohibits online money games including cricket betting, advertising them, and handling payments for them. Skill versus chance does not change that nationwide online ban.
Which states explicitly ban online cricket betting?
The federal Act already covers every state for online play. Older state statutes in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Odisha and Gujarat still matter for offline gambling and how local police treat in-person play. They do not reopen online staking.
Are Sikkim or Nagaland licenses valid for me?
Their licensing regimes are narrow and do not authorise open Indian-wide online cricket betting. The central Act governs online money games nationwide from 1 May 2026, including advertising them and handling payments for them. A state licence is not a nationwide online cricket betting permit.