What the 2025 Act changed, then the state overlay
Online real-money cricket betting is prohibited in Maharashtra under the federal Act in force from 1 May 2026. The older state picture: The Bombay Prevention of Gambling Act 1887 remains the primary legislation. While horse racing is legal, online cricket betting is not licensed.
What this means for you
Online staking from Mumbai or Pune is prohibited under the 2025 Act. The 1887 Act still describes offline gambling. Bank-freeze risk on agent UPI VPAs remains a consumer-protection issue, not a grey-zone permission.
Relevant Laws
- Bombay Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887
- Public Gambling Act (Central)
State Legal FAQ
Is Dream11 legal in Maharashtra?
Paid fantasy cricket for a stake is an online money game under the 2025 Act. It is not lawful in Maharashtra or anywhere else in India from 1 May 2026. Free-to-play contests without a stake sit outside that definition. This page is not legal advice.
Can I use UPI for betting in Mumbai?
No lawful real-money cricket betting product is available to offer or pay for online. The Act also prohibits handling payments for online money games. Older UPI-flag risk under state cyber cells still sits on top of that federal ban.
Sources
Every legal claim on this page traces to the material below. Primary sources are the statute and government notifications themselves.
- The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 (Act No. 32 of 2025) — full text(opens in a new tab) — Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of IndiaPrimary source
- Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 — official announcement(opens in a new tab) — Press Information Bureau, Government of IndiaPrimary source
- The Online Gaming Act, 2025 — redrawing India's online gaming landscape(opens in a new tab) — Trilegal