Play poker online in a safe and secure environment with our list of the Top online poker sites in India. As an online poker news platform, Gutshot Magazine brings to you in-depth poker reviews of all the best online poker sites in India. This will ensure that you are well-informed about all the basic software features that each brand has.

In India, Online Poker is quite a controversial subject, although parties such as The Indian Poker Association have been insisting on its legalization. With poker exploding in India, you’re probably wondering how you can get in on the action. Well, one of the best ways to get in on the poker action is with one of the many real money India poker sites you have to choose from. Below, we’ve compiled a list of the best real money India poker sites offering action to India and southern Asia. Online Poker is considered to be a game of skill and not referred to as gambling according to the legislative laws of India in the States of West Bengal, Goa, Sikkim, Nagaland, and Daman and Diu. Also, in Karnataka by judicial precedent, online poker is legal and can be played.

Poker is a popular facet of the entire online gambling spectrum. Players can experience India legal online poker through legally sanctioned offshore gambling sites. These offshore poker sites provide a developed online poker platform that supports single-game and tournament gameplay with different game types. The poker suites are either proprietary or developed by some of the top online gambling software developers. With an easy-to-use interface, free play and real money gambling, customization settings, and poker bonuses, these offshore poker sites present unique outlets for Indian residents to get in on legitimate poker action. You can gamble with Indian rupees, eliminating the need for an exchange service. This page was developed exclusively for India players, to learn everything you need to know about playing poker online. We also created a similar page devoted to covering information about India legal online casinos.

Is Online Poker Legal In India?

Yes. There are 3 federal India gambling laws that oversee all gambling forms. Online gambling is not mentioned anywhere in these laws, making it legal for Indian residents to play with offshore operators as long as they are legally sanctioned. The 3 federal gambling laws are:

As you can see, these laws are bit outdated, explaining their inability to address the modern gambling landscape. The Public Gambling Act of 1867 made it illegal to operate a physical gaming house. However, the law fails to mention online gambling and also includes provisions for games of skill, which gambling forms fall under. The Prize Competition Act handles prize/lottery based games where prize amounts are higher than 1,000 rupees. The law seems to apply more to slot games, making it difficult to use it as a measure of enforcement on online poker. The Information Technology Act of 2000 is a broad benchmark on general online activity. It deems content viewed as malicious to be illegal, which some have argued gambling content is, but that argument does not hold up legally and leaves a tentative grasp on the legal online poker market. Individual providences can implement their own laws, and a couple (Sikkim and Goa) have allowed brick-and-mortar gambling.

Top Online Poker Sites Accepting Players From India

Below is a table comprised of the best available online poker sites accepting India’s residents. Our team of online gambling experts sifted through many different online brands to determine which ones are legitimate and are India-friendly. We put each brand through a stringent screening process that checks for:

• Legal licensing
• Regulatory standards
• Game type selection
• Strong security protocols
• Reliable customer support
• Bonus/promotional incentives
• Banking suites that accept Indian rupees

All of the brands listed in the table have met these qualifications. They have been in the industry for years and established positive reputations upheld by both industry insiders and players from casual to avid. If you are interested in legal online poker options, take a moment to browse through our suggested poker sites via the links provided in the table. There is no obligation to sign up or play a single hand when viewing the site(s), so you explore risk-free. The same goes for online casinos and sportsbooks.

How Does Offshore Poker Work?

Most reputable offshore poker operators offer gameplay through a downloadable software. This is software can be developed in-house (as is common with large gambling enterprises) or by leading gambling software companies. In any case, you can rest assured you will be experiencing the high-quality play that emulates the experience of playing at a physical table, with a few additional perks. Gameplay is coordinated through an easy-to-use lobby interface. Players can see the different game types available, table size, pot limit, etc. You can adjust your search settings to match your preferred game options easily through the dashboard. You can also toggle between real money gambling and free play—free play is beneficial for familiarizing yourself with new games and testing out game strategies. Once you enter into a game lobby, you will see a 3-D rendering of a poker table as well as several buttons for player actions, such as ‘hit’, ‘stay’, etc.

What Game Types Are Available?

• Texas Hold ‘Em
• Omaha
• Hi/Lo
• Variants of these

Our research shows these common types are available through India-friendly poker sites. There are also many different variations offered, such as games with reduced decks, slightly altered rules regarding card values, etc. Players have a decent amount of options available to them. You can find How-To guides for each poker type built into the site.

How Do Online Poker Tournaments Work?

Our recommended online poker brands feature daily tournaments with low to high buy-in levels. Jackpots increase if there are no winners, creating opportunities for hefty payouts. You can easily access tournament platforms through the player interface, jumping between tables and lobbies. Terms and conditions are listed for each tournament on our recommended sites.

What Are Poker Bonuses?

Bonuses are part of what makes offshore gambling unique from brick-and-mortar establishments. Poker bonuses differ from the standard bonus types in that they are typically offered incrementally. It is not uncommon for offshore sites to implement some type of VIP tier structure, rewarding players as their activity increases. Bonuses are designed to incentivize players to keep up with the site. Pay attention to the terms and conditions of each bonus, particularly with playthrough requirements, as these can affect when you can make withdrawals. More information can be found on the bonus page(s) of our recommended online poker brands.

Can I Use Indian Rupees To Fund My Online Poker Account?

Yes. Most premium online gambling brands support INR as a viable form of currency. In the event that one of the poker sites does not accept Rupees, they will offer a reasonable currency conversion option for you. Our research has shown the following to be the most common online deposit methods available to Indian bettors:

• Credit/debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, MaestroCard)
• Cryptocurrencies, including: Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum and Dash
• PayPal
• eWallets (PaySafeCard, Skrill, Neteller)
• Entropay
• Wire transfers
• Cheques

There are minimum and maximum deposit levels enforced with each method and processing times may vary. Most fees are waived, allowing players to make the most of their deposits. The same options and principles also apply to rupee online casinos.

Can I Play Real Money Poker On My Smartphone?

Yes. Our recommended poker sites feature a mobile component for players looking for on-the-go action. Players can download a mobile app designed specifically for poker. With an easy-to-use interface, players can toggle between multiple game types and single-game/tournament formats. If you would prefer to not download an app, there is a web-based application accessible through your device’s web browser. Gameplay is considerably faster on the mobile version and responsive design technology helps keep design and functionality consistent across varying screen size dimensions. If graphics render with errors or seem jerky, we recommend you turn off the sound in your device settings. You can also enjoy mobile betting through our recommended legal India offshore sportsbooks and online casino destinations as well. On our India legal mobile casinos page, you will find our recommendations for the best mobile casinos that accept India registrations.

Online gambling laws in India are vague and open to
interpretation. Ask 50 different people about the legality of
betting in India and you’ll get 50 different answers. On this
page, we’ll attempt to give you a thorough but concise overview
of the current legal situation.

Gambling is regulated in India at the national and state
levels. On the national stage, gambling is mostly addressed by
two or three acts depending on who you ask:

• The Public Gambling Act of 1867
• Prize Competition Act, 1955
• The Information Technology Act of 2000 (maybe)

Online gambling isn’t specifically mentioned in any of these
acts so it resides in a grey area of the law. Some could argue
that the Public Gambling act of 1867 applies to online gambling
since it restricts all forms of “gambling.” Additionally,
there’s the problem that “gambling” itself is never defined by
the act.

The states also have the authority to regulate gambling to a
degree. Two states, Goa and Sikkim, have authorized a limited
number of brick-and-mortar casinos. The other states outlaw most
forms of gambling, betting, and poker. The one nationwide
exception is horse racing betting, which the Supreme Court ruled
was a game of skill in 1996.

Although most forms of real-world gambling are banned in
India, there are no legal means for prosecuting those who choose
to place their bets online. For that reason, India is a
fast-growing market for online gambling. With 1.2 billion
inhabitants and a growing middle class, India shows great
potential for e-gaming operators.

Offshore betting sites such as Bet365 have already entered
the market and cater to Indians. At Bet365, you may deposit with
Indian rupees and are welcomed to register and play all games
from India. Bet365 resides outside of India and is therefore
safe from the laws that ban the operation of gambling websites.
And since there are no laws that prohibit individual people from
placing bets online, Bet365 is able to take advantage of the
legal loophole.

The Public Gambling Act of 1867

The Public Gambling Act of 1867 made it illegal to run a
gaming house or be found in one. The act describes a gaming
house as “any house, walled enclosure, room or place, playing or
gaming with cards, dice, counters, money or other instruments of
gaming or is found there present for the purpose of gaming,
whether playing for any money, wager, stake or otherwise.” The
penalty for being caught in one is up to a month in jail.

This act predates the internet by well over a hundred years
so there’s a good deal of debate as to whether or not it applies
to online gambling. Does a website count as a “place” where
instruments of gaming are present? It depends on who you ask.

Further complicating matters, an amendment in 1976 added the
following text:

The question remains: does the internet count as a “vehicle,
vessel or place?” The 1976 amendment also predates the internet,
but it could be interpreted as applying to the internet.

Additionally, there’s no ironclad definition of the word
“gambling.” The closest the Public Gambling Act of 1867 comes to
defining “gambling” is in section 12:

Prize Competition Act, 1955

Online Poker Games For Real Money

The Prize Competition Act, 1955 seems to address a very
specific type of gambling, but it has been interpreted as
applying to all forms of gaming in which a prize is awarded. In
short, the act bans prize competitions in which the prizes
exceed a thousand rupees a month.

The act defines “prize competition” with the following text:

The Information Technology Act of 2000

The Information Technology Act of 2000 is even more difficult
than the other two acts described above, because it’s so broad
in scope. This act still causes a great deal of controversy
today due to its vague wording and harsh punishments for a wide
range of infractions.

Like the other two acts on this page, the Information
Technology Act doesn’t specifically mention online gambling.
However, the following text could be interpreted to apply to
internet wagering. No internet betting cases have yet to be
tried under the act, so we don’t yet know if it applies to
gambling or not. We will have to wait and see.

The most controversial portion of the act is also the part
that may or may not apply to online gambling:

A violation of this portion of the act may result in
imprisonment for up to three years and an unspecified crime. The
Bombay High Court has already ruled that this act can be applied
to content published on websites.

Is Online Poker Legal

Could online gambling be considered a message that may cause
insult, injury, or ill will? Does it fall under the comically vague
“etc.”? We don’t know. So far, we have yet to read about anyone
being charged with placing bets under the law.

States Online Poker Is Legal

What This All Means

Online Poker Real Money Legal In India Pakistan

In summary, gambling laws in India are confusing, poorly
written, and haphazardly enforced. The reality of it all for
online gambling specifically is that people across India bet
online every day. There are no laws that criminalize the mere
act of placing a few bets online. If you live in India, you have
access to a wide range of internet casinos, sportsbooks, and
poker rooms.

Online Poker Real Money Legal In India Rupees

There’s no reason to limit yourself from enjoying the
excitement and convenience provided by gaming websites. In most
locations, betting over the internet is safer than doing it in
person. Millions of Indians already gamble online and have had
no legal issues to date.

Online Poker Real Money Legal In India Mumbai

The one bit of caution we would recommend is to look into the
laws in your area. Indian gaming law makes little sense and is
enforced at random. You should always check with the local
authorities before you place real money bets anywhere.