Is Online Betting Legal in India? Complete 2026 Legal Guide

Is online betting legal in India? The answer in 2026 is clear for domestic platforms but nuanced for offshore access. Under PROGA (Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025), which entered force May 1, 2026, all domestic online betting operators including sports betting platforms, fantasy sports apps, and online casinos are banned unless they hold a Central Gaming Licence — and none have been issued. Offshore sports betting platforms remain accessible to Indian players as they are not India-registered operators subject to PROGA. This guide covers the full legal history and current status.

Historical Legal Status of Online Betting in India

India's central gambling law, the Public Gambling Act 1867, was enacted during British colonial rule and applies only to physical gambling establishments called 'common gaming houses'. The Act makes no mention of sports betting, online gambling, or any technology-mediated gaming. Gambling is a State List subject under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, meaning each state legislates its own gambling laws. This created a patchwork where in most states, online sports betting was neither explicitly legal nor explicitly prohibited, leaving it in a legal grey area that courts, operators, and players all interpreted differently.

The Supreme Court's 2017 ruling on fantasy sports and the 2020 Dream11 ruling established that fantasy sports contests are skill-based activities that fall outside gambling prohibition. Dream11 grew to over 200 million users under this protection. For the full legal background, see Wikipedia's Gambling in India article.

What PROGA Changed in 2026

PROGA collapsed all distinctions — skill vs. chance, sports vs. casino, prediction vs. wagering — into a single framework: any online game involving real-money stakes is prohibited without a Central Gaming Licence. This eliminated the 2020 Dream11 ruling's practical protection. Fantasy sports, which had been India's most politically accepted form of online gaming, were reclassified as prohibited activity. Dream11 halted real-money contests in May 2026.

Offshore Sports Betting for Indian Players

Offshore sports betting platforms registered in Curacao, Malta, and similar jurisdictions are not domestic operators and are not directly subject to PROGA's domestic licensing requirement. Indian players access these platforms via the internet. They offer cricket betting markets (IPL, Test matches, T20 internationals), football (ISL, Premier League, Champions League), kabaddi, tennis, and other sports. Live in-play betting with real-time odds is standard on reputable offshore platforms.

Cricket Betting Markets on Offshore Platforms

For Indian bettors, cricket is the dominant betting sport. Offshore platforms offer pre-match and in-play markets including: match winner; series winner; top batsman and top bowler per match; total runs in an over (over/under); method of dismissal; and player performance specials (centuries, five-wicket hauls). Live in-play betting allows bets between deliveries, making cricket one of the most bet-intensive sports in terms of market volume per match. For cricket betting guidance, see our cricket betting India guide.

Tax on Betting Winnings in India 2026

Betting winnings are taxable in India regardless of the platform type or PROGA's gaming ban. The Income Tax Act imposes 30% flat tax on net gaming winnings above ₹10,000 per transaction under Section 194BA (for domestic platforms, where TDS is deducted) and Section 115BBJ (for all gaming income in ITR). For offshore platforms that do not deduct TDS, self-declare all gaming income in Schedule OS of your ITR and pay tax accordingly. For the full tax guide, see our TDS on online gaming winnings guide.