Ever wondered about the origins of gambling in India? If yes, this article for you. Here, we dive deep into the progression and history of gambling and sports betting in India. We also talk in detail about the current state of gambling and what the future holds.
Gambling has been around for a long time in India. With brief introduction to games of chance in the Sanskrit epic The Ramayana, gambling is believed to date back as far as 7300 BC. All Indians are familiar with the inclusion of gambling in another Sanskrit epic Mahabharata. Who can forget about the infamous dice game between Kauravas and Pandavas orchestrated by Sakuni and the consequences of that game?
Initial Ways
There are mentions of Indian gambling in Buddhist texts which dates back to as early as 300 BC. While playing with nuts as dice was how it all started, eventually, people started using animals for gambling with ram fights and cockfights. Horse racing and betting on the horses came after that.
Rapid Development
The 15th century saw the rapid development in gambling due to the rise in legal gambling houses all over India. While some played the games for financial gain, most Indians gambled for entertainment. At first, there was a high regulation in the gambling house so that the games were fair and the house won fair and square. This was also when gambling tax was introduced for the first time.
Cricket played a big role in further development of gambling in India. While cricket was taking over the country by storm, betting on the game became more and more common among the people. This all came to a halt when the British passed the Gambling Act in 1867 after taking over India. The Act banned all games that were termed ‘game of chance.’
Present Status
Although gambling has a rich history in India, the government views it just as a way people ruin their lives by losing their money. In reality, gambling is much more than that.
The 29 states of India alongside the seven union territories have complete authority on gambling law. They can make their own rules on whether to ban or regulate gambling in their state. Although most states have banned gambling altogether, some states are open to the idea.
Despite the gambling ban in most states, people have been able to satisfy their needs through online gambling sites. The casino games of online casinos are hosted in countries outside India. Since there are no laws regarding casino games hosted outside the country, people have been legally gambling over the years. Furthermore, with the introduction of new technologies, online casinos are on par with land casinos at the moment.
At present, you can choose to play thousands of casino games online. From your favorite childhood games like Blackjack and andar bahar real money games including slots and jackpots, you can enjoy a wide variety of casino games. Granted you are in a legit casino- all the games that you play are fair with live games featuring dealers in real time and online games with accredited gaming software. Here is how a game of live teen patti game looks like at Baazi247:
Sports have always been a big part of Indian heritage. The presence of the audiences at every cricket game in India proves the love that people have for the sport. Although cricket is huge in the country, there are a large number of audiences for other sports as well including football. Still, people are not able to bet on their favorite team.
After Covid-19
After the whole world came to a halt after Covid-19 pandemic, the land casinos were forced to shut down. This has caused an increase in the number of online casino players. Since the games are fair and you can play with real money, online casinos have been a great platform for Indians to pass their time and win some money along the way.
Gambling is legal in states including Sikkim and Goa. The argument that has been made from the representatives of these two states is- gambling does more good than harm. Every year, Sikkim and Goa receive a huge sum of money from gambling taxation. Experts believe that if gambling is made legal and the government regulates it, there will be a significant boost in the Indian economy. Similar is the case for sports betting.
This was about the history of gambling in India. If you are new to the world of gambling, check out our other articles that are especially prepared for beginners. Furthermore, also visit Baazi247 to get an idea of what kinds of casino games we offer.
