You are probably worried about your money and possible prizes with the confusing legal situation of lotteries in India. The question about if the online lottery is legal in India is common, and we have the true answer based on facts and confirmed by specialists that will finally put you at ease.
Is Online Lottery Legal in India?
It is important to differentiate the regulations that determine the legality of lotteries from the online lotteries, playable only on websites and apps. In 17 other states, lotteries in India are completely banned. However, neither one of the two cases has specific determinations for online lotteries headquartered abroad.
What does that mean for players in India who want to play online lotteries?
That means you cannot be punished for playing online lotteries based outside of India because the regulation does not mention them. Take Lottofy as an example, which is headquartered, registered, and licensed in Malta. The Indian law does not affect it there, nor does it affect the Indian players who bet on lottery results using the website.
As we are committed to the truth here at LottoBaba, the short answer is that playing the online lottery in India is legal. You can already have lots of fun playing with that answer, but I would like to explain it further. Also, it is really important to understand how to be safe and stand in accordance with the law while playing American, European, and other lotteries.
Let’s understand the laws connected to lotteries in India and everything that is legal to do in our great nation!
The Legal Differences Between Traditional and Online Lottery in India
Format
Traditional Lottery
Online Lottery
Legality in India
Regulated by state-level lottery laws and provided by each local government in the 13 states that allow it. Private lotteries are completely banned in India.
Some of the states that allow lotteries only authorize physical sales. However, no prohibition reaches online lotteries headquartered in foreign countries, which is the case for the websites that we recommend.
Regulation Level
Both central and state-level.
For online lotteries in foreign countries, there is no regulation.
Who Can Play
Any Indian that is at least 18 years old.
Any Indian that is at least 18 years old and registers with real data on trustworthy online lotteries.
Do’s and Don’ts of Legal Online Lottery in India
Do’s
Don’ts
Find a licensed online lottery to play lotteries safely.
Do not choose an online lottery headquartered in India or that omits any information.
Use your favorite payment method to purchase tickets or bet on results.
Do not play if you are under 18.
Register with your real data to be able to withdraw without problems.
Do not buy tickets for foreign lotteries with anyone in India.
Trust our work and read our reviews to understand our conclusions and avoid scams.
Do not miss opportunities of playing dozens of foreign lotteries by only playing at local retailers.
Key Legal Points
The prohibition in 17 states only applies to lotteries in India, not in foreign countries.
Private lotteries are banned from India, but the law does not forbid playing on private online lottery sites registered elsewhere.
Even in the 13 states that allow lotteries, you cannot play on private Indian lottery sites, only foreign ones.
You must be at least 18 years old to play any type of lottery.
Laws and Lottery Regulations in India
The two acts that have been thoroughly studied by my colleague and me here at LottoBaba since the beginning of our careers are The Public Gambling Act of 1867 and the Lotteries Regulation Act of 1998.
It is easy to understand how they do not have any mention of playing foreign online lotteries due to their dates of creation. There are no guarantees that the legislators will not revisit the subject, but we can still enjoy dozens of lottery games for now.
We will describe each one of the two acts for your better understanding of their true scope.
The Public Gambling Act of 1867
Everything that is connected to gambling in India is governed by The Public Gambling Act of 1867, far before the internet. Still, it does not centrally govern entire India, as each state is free to create its determinations.
Those states that have not created their own laws follow it and forbid lotteries. Even in them, there are no consequences whatsoever to anyone who plays the lottery online using websites that are not hosted in India.
By knowing that, you can use websites like LottoSmile, which is hosted in Cyprus, to play online lotteries.
The Lotteries Regulation Act 1998
More modern than the previous Act, The Lotteries Regulation Act of 1998 defines the rules that must be followed by lotteries in the states that allow them. Once again, it is a matter of definition and context, as it explicitly refers to lotteries in India.
It forbids the operation of Indian lotteries by private companies, allowing only the state governments to do so. In addition, it determines that you can only play the local lottery of your state when it comes to Indian lotteries.
That is why you should not play on any private online lottery from India, but you are free to register, play, and win on online lotteries headquartered elsewhere. At least, until the law remains with no alterations to include worldwide operations.
About the Indian States Where Lottery Is Banned
Either for having other priorities or simply because the current government does not like lotteries, some states simply follow The Public Gambling Act of 1867. It forbids any type of lottery in India.
However, you can still freely play on the websites that we recommend because they are not based in India. Even if you live in one of the following 17 states:
The two acts that have been thoroughly studied by my colleague and me here at LottoBaba since the beginning of our careers are The Public Gambling Act of 1867 and the Lotteries Regulation Act of 1998.
It is easy to understand how they do not have any mention of playing foreign online lotteries due to their dates of creation. There are no guarantees that the legislators will not revisit the subject, but we can still enjoy dozens of lottery games for now.
We will describe each one of the two acts for your better understanding of their true scope.
The Public Gambling Act of 1867
Everything that is connected to gambling in India is governed by The Public Gambling Act of 1867, far before the internet. Still, it does not centrally govern entire India, as each state is free to create its determinations.
Those states that have not created their own laws follow it and forbid lotteries. Even in them, there are no consequences whatsoever to anyone who plays the lottery online using websites that are not hosted in India.
By knowing that, you can use websites like LottoSmile, which is hosted in Cyprus, to play online lotteries.
The Lotteries Regulation Act 1998
More modern than the previous Act, The Lotteries Regulation Act of 1998 defines the rules that must be followed by lotteries in the states that allow them. Once again, it is a matter of definition and context, as it explicitly refers to lotteries in India.
It forbids the operation of Indian lotteries by private companies, allowing only the state governments to do so. In addition, it determines that you can only play the local lottery of your state when it comes to Indian lotteries.
That is why you should not play on any private online lottery from India, but you are free to register, play, and win on online lotteries headquartered elsewhere. At least, until the law remains with no alterations to include worldwide operations.
About the Indian States Where Lottery Is Banned
Either for having other priorities or simply because the current government does not like lotteries, some states simply follow The Public Gambling Act of 1867. It forbids any type of lottery in India.
However, you can still freely play on the websites that we recommend because they are not based in India. Even if you live in one of the following 17 states:
The question “is online lottery legal in India” should have been cleared by now. Still, I know that you want to be 100% safe and save time and effort. That is why I prepared a quick checklist for you to understand how to play the online lottery in India the legal way:
✔️ Choose a Website That Is Located Outside of India
Ignore any website, regardless of the offer or bonus, if it is located in India or does not provide information on its headquarters and license. There are many great picks for you, and all of the ones below have been tested and played by our team:
Another advantage of picking any of the websites above is that they offer a system that includes payment methods available in India. You only need to choose one varying from debit cards and e-wallets to digital bank transfers and add funds to the website.
✔️ Play Any Lottery You Want
From this point on, there are no concerns connected to legality. Any game that you choose will let you have true chances of winning a prize.
Are Lottery Agents and Lottery Betting Sites Legal in India?
When it comes to the legality of online lotteries in India, it does not matter if they are lottery agents or lottery betting sites. Both formats are legal if you ensure that they are headquartered outside of India. As for the differences, it is easy to understand:
Lottery Agents – You will be purchasing real tickets through a dedicated staff that purchases them on your behalf. It is a must to claim the big prizes in person.
Betting Sites – You can bet on the results of lotteries, even artificial ones that copy the result of existing lotteries to create additional resources or prize tiers. The money is paid by insurance companies and always sent to you.
Is It Legal to Buy Online Lottery Tickets in India?
When you play locally, you can purchase online lottery tickets from your state if it offers them. That is a very limited way of playing lotteries from India. As long as you choose an online lottery site that is not from India, you can purchase as many lottery tickets as you want.
It is neither declared legal nor illegal because of the limitations in law that I have already explored and explained here. That so-called “gray area” allows you to buy online lottery tickets, win, withdraw your winnings, and have a comfortable life in India or elsewhere.
The Best Legal Online Lotteries in India
LottoAgent is headquartered in Curaçao, where it holds a valid license. Therefore, it is an option to play online lotteries legally from India, with over 30 games and a Hindi language option.
Aside from being headquartered in Malta, Lottofy is licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority through the license number MGA/B2C/762/2019, and was already shortlisted for important prizes in the SBC Awards and EGR Awards. It accepts INR and offers Android and iOS apps to legally play lotteries from India.
Play Online Lottery Without Breaking the Law in India
There are only two ways of playing the lottery legally in India. One is to be limited to whatever your state allows you to play if it allows any lottery at all. The other is to be open to the amazing worldwide lotteries that are only offered by online lottery sites. As long as they do not operate from India, there are no legal consequences.
I hope that my work here has explained all your possibilities and how easy it is to legally play the online lottery in India. In my honest opinion, the prizes are much better, and there is no comparison in terms of variety.
Some lottery sites charge the same amount you would have to pay in taxes if you were playing that lottery in its origin country. In addition, you will have to pay the Indian flat rate of 31.2% plus a 10% surcharge on winnings above Rs. 10 lakhs.
It is only legal to play online lotteries in India if you choose a website that does not operate in India. In addition to legality, pay attention to safety parameters, like a valid license.
You can deposit and play on online lotteries from India, but not if the website operates in India specifically. That is the only case in which it is not legal to play.
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