Lottery is a game filled with thrill and excitement. However, Indian players often have questions like “Is lottery legal in India?”
Indian lotto laws are different from one state to another. At present, 13 states in India allow lotto. There is no national ban on lottery, but in 2015, the Supreme Court of India ruled that individual states would control ticket sales and lotto regulations. Therefore, you can easily play legal online lottery in India on the sites like Lotto Agent.
Indian Lottery Laws
Lottery is legal in India, which means that there is no blanket ban on it. International lottery laws in India are different from state regulations. Online legal lottery in India can be accessed by Indians from a number of lotto sites that are licensed.
The Supreme Court of India has given the power to the 29 states to devise their own gambling laws. This is according to the “Lotteries Act” of 1998. Thus, it is impossible to generalize the laws in India.
The first state-run lotto was organized by the government of Kerala in 1968. The success of this lotto inspired other regions to join the bandwagon.
While this is true for some states, is it legal to play international lottery in India? Yes, it is.
Which States Have Legalized Lottery?
The following Indian states have legalized, state-run lottos.
Arunachal Pradesh
This north-eastern region enjoys the lottery. In fact, Arunachal Pradesh was the only Indian state with legal gambling under the Public Gaming Act of 1867. Gambling of all sorts was banned under the Arunachal Pradesh Gambling Act of 2012. Presently, the lotto is permitted in Arunachal Pradesh. However, other forms of gambling, including the widely popular Jhandi Munda, are prohibited. This was done to maintain peace. However, those above the age of 18 can play the state lotto.
Assam
Assam has been regulating the legalized state run lotto for many years now. The State Rules were brought into existence in 1969. The last, few changes were done in 1994. The Assam state government regulates the state lottery, and citizens are free to enjoy the thrill of lotto.
Goa
Betting and gambling are permitted only in certain casinos in very specific locations. This requires government permission. The Goa state lottery, however, can be enjoyed. The Directorate of State Lottery was established in 1995 and merged with the National Savings Organization in 2006. Goa holds 8 draws daily.
Kerala
Kerala was the first Indian state to legalize lottery. This is run and regulated by the Lottery Department of the Kerala Government. It has added laws like the Lotteries Regulation Act of 1998, Regulation Rules in 2005, and so on. This helped make lotteries a safe and better experience for players. The legislation currently allows players to procure tickets from 100,000 retailers and 35,000 registered lotto agents.
Madhya Pradesh
Lotteries were banned in Madhya Pradesh until 1998, but the ban was later lifted. They are rather popular among Indians, and even though the prizes are in the medium to low range, players still enjoy the thrill of the game.
Maharashtra
Maharashtra has legal government lottos. However, the state government regulations have changed the Indian Penal Code Section 294A that bans private lottos. Maharashtra made their own legislation, banning all lottos other than non-profit. This means that all non-profit lottos, including private ones, are legal lottery.
Manipur
The Directorate of Lottery of Manipur issues three daily draw lottos. The prize money ranges from Rs. 6 Lakhs to Rs. 500. The tickets cost Rs. 6, and anyone inside the state can purchase the ticket.
Meghalaya
Lottery is the only form of betting legal in Meghalaya. The most popular one is Teer, locally known as Thoh Tim. The region’s government legalized it in 1982.
Mizoram
Mizoram also lifted the blanket ban after local governments got the power to decide legislation. The Mizoram State Lottery is quite popular among citizens.
Nagaland
Nagaland legalised lotteries and hold draws in the morning, during the day, and in the evening.
Punjab
Players in Punjab have been enjoying the excitement of the lotto since 1968. There is a legal lottery in Lahore with monthly as well as weekly draws. Prizes surpass 50 crores.
Sikkim
Sikkim has local laws governing legal lotteries. There are more than 24 legal options available to citizens of Sikkim. It is one of the very few states with clear legalization of online lotteries. The responsible authorities added the Sikkim Online Gaming Regulation Act in 2008 for sports and online games.
West Bengal
The West Bengal government runs six Bumper Draws for the major Indian holidays, however, unauthorised daily lotteries and online lottery were shut down in 2011.
Is a Ban on Lotteries Across the Country Effective?
While 16 states have lottos and gambling banned, it is not particularly an effective system. There are no clear laws to regulate or ban online ticket sales, so Indian players can access international lottos via sites that offer services. This includes major international games like PowerBall, MegaMillions, and so on.
In addition, this increases the odds of appearance of unregulated, illegal games, which could even be scams.
FAQs
● Is it safe to play Indian lotteries online?
If you ensure that the site is licensed and regulated, there is no risk in playing online games and trying your luck at lottos. In fact, it is a very good option. Real lottery in India offers a wide variety, including local and international games to choose from. This increases the odds of your win significantly. In fact, you might win an international jackpot worth millions!
● In which states is Lottery Online legal in India?
Indian lotto laws do not cover online lotto, so it is safe to play from any trusted online provider. Therefore, if you are wondering “is lottery in India legal”, rest assured it is.
● Can I buy another state’s lottery ticket in India?
You can buy online lotto tickets in India for any region where they are legal. For example, the Sikkim state lotto can be bought by players in other states. However, some states might require proof of residence before releasing the prize. For example, some parts of the country, like Kerala have banned the sale of online tickets.
