The Rise of Legal Casinos And Online Gambling In India
Gambling has been taking place for thousands of years, artifacts and preserved documents tell us how in ancient times people would wager on animal fights. Over the centuries people from China, South Asia, and Persia started to gamble on something less dramatic. Horse racing was established as a more humane form of sport to gamble on and one… Read More »
Gambling has been taking place for thousands of years, artifacts and preserved documents tell us how in ancient times people would wager on animal fights. Over the centuries people from China, South Asia, and Persia started to gamble on something less dramatic. Horse racing was established as a more humane form of sport to gamble on and one in which no serious harm to the animal occurred, more in line with the religious principles of the regions. A natural progression for gambling was a controlled environment in which to do so. 17th century Venice, Italy, and the world’s first casino as we know them was born, The Ridotto. This soon led to the spread throughout Europe of casinos in all major towns and cities and eventually the world.
As with any idea that seems good, there was still room for improvement on the casino concept, and with the invention of the internet along came gambling entrepreneurs who would bring gambling to the masses. Online casinos and gambling sites such as kazino igre offer the opportunity for gamblers all over the world to play 24 hours a day from any location. Gambling has never been easier and anybody with a computer, smartphone, or tablet can take part.
The 3 States That Allow Casino Gambling in India
Before the British and infamous East India Company arrived and essentially took control of India, there was widespread gambling across much of India. This included mostly small locally run casinos and betting on sports, especially the national sport, cricket. After the British took control they banned gambling, but naturally, gambling survived. But legally today only 3 states have casinos, the Indian government allows gambling laws to be set by individual states, here the 3 that allow casinos:
- Goa, this western Indian state with miles of stunning coastline and the warm Arabian Sea waves lapping over the beach, has long been a favorite of tourists. Since its independence from Portugal in 1961, the state has always felt a bit different, with its 17th-century colonial churches and laid-back atmosphere. Now it remains one of three states to allow legal casinos. Many of these casinos are based on luxurious riverboats that also have land-based casinos attached to high-end hotels.
- Daman, located to the north of Mumbai has a very similar history to Goa, Portuguese settled and administered it has legalized casinos to operate. With 5-star hotel complexes similar to western-style casinos and riverboat casino tours.
- Sikkim, which borders Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan in the northeast of India is home to spectacular mountain landscapes and rolling alpine-style meadows. Also boasting the highest mountain peak in India, Mt Kanchenjunga stands an impressive 8,568m above sea level. Sikkim allows casinos to operate within the state, currently, most are located in resorts and luxury hotels, Sikkim is known for its progressive attitude toward casinos and gambling.
It is currently unsure whether other states will allow casinos to operate. But with substantial revenue for the state’s coffers increasing it is predicted that other states will follow suit.
The Future of Online Gambling And Casinos in India
The gambling industry in India is still very young and slowly opening up to mainly domestic operators, it is going to take some time for attitudes to change on a national level. It is estimated that the current gambling industry is worth $60 billion annually and half of that goes to criminal gangs involved in drug trafficking and terrorism. Without a doubt the biggest sport in India, cricket accounts for much of this revenue. The Chief Executive Officer for the International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly in favour of legalizing gambling, with some of the taxes being put back into the sport, especially for youth projects.
Online gambling is moving forward at a faster pace and licenses have been issued, but slowly and mostly involve the national lottery. International companies cannot target the advertising of certain games at Indian nationals living within India. These laws, much the same as Thailand, have not prevented online gambling from happening, it has forced people to look towards the black market. Currently, punishments include fines and up to 1 year in jail if caught.
Could India Learn From Other Countries Gambling Laws?
If India is serious about making legal gambling accessible to more of the population, then taking a look at other countries and their strict regulations could be essential. The vast majority of countries allow gambling, very few do not. And whilst where there is money, corruption, and criminal behaviour will infiltrate the business but when legalized and regulated, on a much smaller scale. Here is just an example of one country that introduced legalized gambling successfully.
The United Kingdom has a long history of gambling dating back centuries, but in the modern age, it became apparent that legalizing and regulations were necessary to stop gambling on the black market. Gambling was legalized in 1961 and for the first time, all bets were taxed bringing huge sums of money via betting tax for the government, this money helped fund the national health service amongst other civil projects. Gambling can now take place anywhere, even in sports venues that have licensed bookmakers. Each year nearly $20 billion is gambled legally in the United Kingdom, all of which is taxed. There have been no real negative side effects to the general community and have helped make sport free from corruption and organized crime.
Summary
Online or traditional gambling is a year-on-year growth business and the benefits of legalizing bookmakers or online casinos far outweigh the negatives. The revenue collected can help improve infrastructure projects throughout the country and benefit everybody. Also, a major boost to tourism, take Macau or Las Vegas, for example, generating billions of dollars each year from the gaming sector. Smaller countries like the Isle of Man have seen a huge increase in government revenue and positive employment which also boosts the economy. India already has legalized gambling, and maybe it is time for the national government and individual states to review the legislation on gambling.
