Online casinos are becoming a hot topic all over India these days, including right here in Manipur, as more and more people are asking themselves whether online casinos are legal in the state or not.
The answer to the question is yes and no, because there are multiple facets to this issue.
First of all, online casinos are legal in India, and are not prohibited by the government of India, so long as these online casinos are based outside of India.
The government of India enables all states to set their own laws when it comes to online gambling. That is why online casinos are illegal in Telangana, while being perfectly legal in Goa.
But what about Manipur – are online casinos legal in Manipur like they are in other northeastern states such as Sikkim and Nagaland – or are online casinos illegal in Manipur? That is the question we will attempt to answer in this article.
Gambling Laws in Manipur
Like many states in India, Manipur doesn’t have its own online gambling legislations.
While all states in India are allowed to formulate their own gambling laws, some states choose to simply follow the national gambling laws, which are laid out according to the Public Gambling Act of 1867 – this includes Manipur.
So in order to determine the legality of online gambling in Manipur, we need to look at the Public Gambling Act of 1867.
According to this law, all public gaming and gambling venues are illegal in India.
However, given that the law was written over 150 years ago and never since amended, it obviously makes no mention of online gambling sites.
Does this mean that online gambling sites (such as online casinos) are legal in Manipur? Legal experts say yes, online casinos are indeed legal in Manipur and other states which utilise the Public Gambling Act of 1867.
However, Manipurians need to ensure that the online casino they use is based outside of India. The online casino cannot be based in India.
If you use an online casino based in India, both you and the online casino will be committing a crime.
However, by using a foreign-based online casino, you’re making use of a legal loophole which enables Manipurians (and other Indians) to use online casinos legally, without breaking any laws.
Which online casinos are legal in Manipur?
Now that you know online gambling is legal in the state, you’re probably wondering which online casinos are legal in Manipur.
Finding and joining the right online casino is an important issue. You need to make sure you find a legal online casino based outside of India, and at the same time, you need to make sure the casino is trustworthy.
Fortunately, there are solutions to help Manipurians (and other Indians) find a legal and trustworthy online casino.
By using websites such as MyOnlineCasinos.com, players can find and compare the best online casinos in the country.
As such, finding and using an online casino in Manipur has never been easier (or safer) than it is today!
