India's Gambling Map, State by State

Gambling law in India is not one law — it is many states and a shared colonial-era Act. Explore how each region diverged.

In 1867, the colonial administration of British India passed the Public Gambling Act, a single statute meant to apply broadly across the territories it governed. More than a century and a half later, that Act is still cited in court judgments and state legislation — but it is no longer the whole story. After Indian independence, the Constitution placed the subject of gambling regulation on the State List, meaning each state and union territory gained the authority to legislate, amend or replace the inherited framework as it saw fit.

The result is a patchwork that can surprise people expecting a single national answer. Goa, Sikkim and Daman permit licensed land-based casinos under their own state rules. Nagaland has built a distinct legal category for skill-based gaming, separate from casino-style chance games. Most other states retain a general prohibition rooted in the 1867 framework, sometimes updated to address newer forms of gaming, sometimes left largely as originally drafted.

ImperialLuck exists to make that patchwork legible. This site is an independent, historical and educational reference — it does not operate, promote or facilitate any gambling activity, and it is not affiliated with any state government, casino operator or gaming authority. Its centrepiece is the Regulation Map Explorer, an interactive map of Indian states colour-coded by historical regulatory category, paired with a full data table for anyone browsing without JavaScript.

Where to start