Indian Gambling Laws – Games of Skill vs. Games of Chance

In general, you could say casino gambling has been somewhat frowned upon in India. For a long time, gambling was strictly forbidden outside of the common gaming houses. The Public Gambling Act of 1867 stated that anyone owning or visiting a public gaming establishment could face up to 3 months of imprisonment.

Online Gambling in India

Today, online gambling is the most common way of gambling. The somewhat harsh restrictions for physical gambling in India do not cover online gambling. There are no real regulations or laws that prohibit gambling online.

Just as with physical gambling, online gambling is a state subject. Today, only one Indian state forbids online gambling. That state is Maharashtra. For the latest updates, many sites are reporting on the Indian casino and gambling industry.

Games of Skill vs. Games of Chance

In India, casino games are divided into games of skill and games of chance. Games of skill are ok to bet on, while games of chance are not.

Games of skill are games where you play against other players and where you can apply a strategy. Games of chance are games where you play against “the house” and where a strategy won’t help you. However, what games are classified as games of skill or games of chance are not entirely easy to understand.

Andar Bahar

Andar Bahar is a popular Indian card game. You can play Andar Bahar online at many different casino sites. Most of us think of Andar Bahar, also known as “Katti”, as a game of chance. The goal of the game is to predict on which of two sides a matching card will appear, making the chances of winning 50/50.

However, the popular card game is, quite surprisingly, considered a game of skill. This is a result of the police back in the ‘70s not being able to clearly state why it is a game of chance.

Poker

Poker is considered a game of skill. Here, the decision is more obvious than with Andar Bahar. Sure, since you can’t affect what card you will be dealt, poker involves an element of luck. But to be successful in poker, you need to have some knowledge and experience about different strategies.

Blackjack

Anyone who has ever played blackjack knows there are some strategies that could make you more successful. However, blackjack is considered a game of chance. This is because the strategies work in far from every situation of the game and have not proven to be effective.

Roulette

You’ve probably already guessed whether roulette is a game of skill or a game of chance. And yes, you are right. Since you have no way to affect the outcome of the game, roulette is considered a game of chance.

Rummy

Rummy is one of the few games that’s fully considered a game of skill. Sure, as in every card game there is an element of luck when the cards are being dealt. But to win in rummy, you will need to apply some strategies no matter what cards you’re being dealt.

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