India Gambling License 2020

Gambling Consulting Expert provides practical and insightful consultancy, data, and market reports for the India gambling industry.

India iGaming License

The Republic of India is a country in Asia. It is a constitutional republic consisting of 29 states, each with a substantial degree of control over its own affairs; 6 less fully empowered union territories; and the Delhi national capital territory, which includes New Delhi, India’s capital. India, a country that occupies the greater part of South Asia.

India is the seventh-largest country in the world by area and the largest country in South Asia. With roughly one-sixth of the world’s total population, India has more than 1,2 billion people. The country is the second most populous world in the world, after China. Archaeologists have found dice made from cubes of sandstone and terracotta that date back to the Indus Valley civilization in 3300 BC, and there is evidence that the Indus Valley people engaged in cockfighting and betting.

Sports betting is very popular, particularly on cricket, as is horse racing betting. There are several racecourses throughout the region, and race meetings regularly attract large audiences. Bookmakers offer their services legally at these racecourses, along with the tote operators who provide pool betting. Horse racing betting is also legal off course, and betting parlors exist in many parts of the country.

The Indian gambling market is estimated to be worth US$60 billion per year. Gambling operators contribute untold fortunes in tax revenue in virtually every jurisdiction permitted, providing a vital source of state revenues – not to mention creating jobs, and stimulating wider economic growth. The gambling industry is also responsible for attracting millions of foreign tourists to India throughout the year.

The government of India offers casino operators, software, and service providers in the gambling industry, with a gambling license that allows gambling operators to conduct business related to casino, lotto, and other gaming-related activities. Due to a strict political environment in the country, India’s gaming industry is much smaller than what is found in other countries.

However, it’s a growing market that is expected to see rapid growth in the near term. Already in the first quarter of 2018, the industry as a whole saw an increase in revenue of 73%. A perception exists worldwide that gaming in India is illegal or unregulated. However, this is not true.

The India Gambling License is one of the most coveted licenses for online casinos worldwide. Prior to the promulgation of the Constitution of India, gambling in India was governed by the Public Gambling Act 1857. The Public Gaming Act of 1867 makes no reference to online gambling. This is no surprise, given that the internet was a long way from being invented when it was introduced. The Public Gambling Act 1857 was likely derived from the Gaming Act 1845 and the Betting Act 1853, enacted by the parliament of the United Kingdom.

After the Constitution of India came into effect, most states adopted the principles of the Public Gambling Act 1857 with certain amendments, and each state has its own act on gambling. Currently, casinos are allowed to operate only in the provinces of Sikkim, Daman, and Goa. Most of the Gambling Companies are in GOA. The state is now home to several land-based casinos and a number of cruise ship-based casinos.

The gambling law in effect in this part of India is called the Goa, Daman, and Diu Public Gambling Act of 1976. Goa has about 15 different operational casinos. Nine of these operational casinos are onshore and six of them are riverboat casinos that float across the Mandovi River.

Sikkim is the only state to have a law on online gaming- the Sikkim Online Gaming (Regulation) Act, 2008 under which licenses may be obtained for conducting online gambling in India. In short, this act made online sports betting in the state of Sikkim legal. This has caused popular online gambling sites such as William Hill and Betfair to eye India as the next major market to expand to.
India’s infrastructure offers a wide array of services for online gaming operators and providers, such as high-capacity private racks, private cloud services, custom dedicated servers amidst other hosting options. India has long been recognized as one of the preferred locations for Online Gambling operators to base their operations.

This success has been due to a combination of factors, such as a progressive legislative system, political stability, first-rate telecommunications facilities, and a well established financial services industry. A wide range of gambling sites operates out of India including sports betting, casino sites, poker, bingo, and more.

India Online Gambling Regulations

Each state of India has its gambling and online games laws. Licenses have been issued to private entities within these states. The Sikkim Casino Games (Control and Tax Rules), 2002 gives the Sikkim Government the authority to grant licenses to individuals and businesses interested in operating casinos.

The final three pages of the Sikkim On-line Gaming (Regulation) Rules, 2009, lays out strict rules and regulations regarding random number generation, security systems, auditing, publishing of house advantage, and much more. The state of Sikkim has begun taking applications to license online gambling where the servers are located within the state. National Anti-Money Laundering Regulations, Unusual Transactions Act, Counter-Terrorism Financing Regulations and Know Your Customer Policies are applicable to all India Gambling Companies.

As part of its duties, the Local Regulatory Authority monitors gaming businesses and services to ensure that they operate according to the standards and regulations of the Government of India. Compliance audits are conducted on a regular basis to ensure that the terms of the license are met. Licensees must maintain a complete audit trail for each player making a deposit with an operator, including financial transactions and individual bets.

Gaming systems, including back-end software logs, must be made available to third-party auditors. Gaming rules, results of games, and pay-outs are to be made available to the Local Regulatory Authority for five years.

Let’s talk more about the benefits by understanding the reasons why obtaining an India igaming license may be ideal for you.

How to Start An Online Gambling Business in India

When starting an India Online Gambling Business, first of all, it’s important to think about one of the most essential procedures, that is company registration and acquisition of the license. India Gambling License gives many excellent opportunities to each licensee and makes their business profitable.

India has a low corporate income tax of only 10%, has a 0.5% tax on bets, no sales tax, and no VAT. India has political stability, first-rate telecommunications facilities, and a well-established financial services industry.

In addition, it maintains an attractive environment for international online gaming companies. India Gambling License is recognized by many countries all over the world, so you will have a large potential customer base after getting it.

In order to obtain an India Gambling License, the decision to approve the application is at the discretion of the Local Regulatory Authority, based on the documentation submitted by our experts. The India issues one Online Gambling license which covers all gaming operations, igaming service providers, network operators, affiliates, white-label operators, and igaming software suppliers.

With this India Gambling License, online gaming companies can operate legally. Each applicant undergoes a thorough assessment, ensuring that licenses are only awarded to those applicants who are able to demonstrate such a financial standing and integrity as to preserve the international reputation of India as an online gambling hub.

In case something does not correspond to requirements, the Local Regulatory Authority will provide a checklist of necessary improvements. An India Gambling License covers all forms of online gambling including Casino, eSports, Poker, Sports Betting, Lotto, Bingo, Horseracing, Bitcoin Casino, Fantasy Sports, Games of Skill, and other gaming-related activities without being required to obtain one license for each individual product. India Gambling License enables companies to operate all over the world.

India Gambling Requirements

  • Residence in India. Operators wishing to offer their services to India gamblers must be residents of India and they must obtain the relevant licenses and authorizations from the India Regulatory Authority. In case the company is a foreign entity, it must appoint a local director, whose domicile is in India, to deal with the competent authorities in the country and have the power to conclude contracts on its behalf
  • Opening of a bank account with one of the banks in India where the operator would need to deposit the players’ money. Licensed remote gaming operators will only be allowed to make payments to players through the payment processors that have been approved by the Gambling Regulator
  • Requirements regarding the minimum share capital of the company depending on the type of game it offers
  • monthly declaration giving details regarding income from games of change as well as the fees due will have to be submitted to the Gambling Regulator on a standard form
  • Compliance with the principles regarding the protection of minors as well as with the content of the promotional material used and the locations where they can be displayed

Do you need help obtaining the India iGaming License?

Our experts can help you achieve obtaining the India iGaming License.

Do you need help obtaining the India iGaming License?

Our experts can help you achieve obtaining the India iGaming License.