What the 2025 Act changed, then the state overlay
Online real-money cricket betting is prohibited in West Bengal under the federal Act in force from 1 May 2026. The older state picture: West Bengal has a unique stance where card games like Rummy and Bridge are explicitly excluded from 'gambling'.
What this means for you
West Bengal's 1957 statute is more permissive toward some card games offline. Cricket betting for money online is still prohibited under the 2025 Act.
Relevant Laws
- West Bengal Gambling and Prize Competitions Act, 1957
State Legal FAQ
Is Poker legal in Kolkata?
West Bengal's 1957 Act treated some card games differently from street betting. That offline overlay does not authorise online real-money poker or cricket betting. The 2025 Act prohibits online money games nationwide from 1 May 2026, including handling payments for them.
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