Gambling regulations in the UK, India and New Zealand

This article can be of some help to new online gamblers as well as those who want to start gambling businesses in these countries. Each of these countries has different laws on gambling, please keep reading.

Gambling laws in India

The Public Gambling Act of 1857 forbids the setting up of gambling houses in India. It also disallows people from gathering inside gambling houses. However, this Central Act has several loopholes. For e.g, it is silent on online gambling.

In one of its judgments, the Indian Supreme Court ruled that this Act does not consider skill-based games as gambling. The Public Gambling Act was later amended to allow states to set up their own lottery houses.

Online gambling in India

There are two important Central Acts that affect online gambling in India. While it is legal to gamble online, players shouldn't bet on sites that spread crime, hate, etc. This is expressly stated in the IT act.

Foreign Exchange Management Act

While online gamblers can stake money on any site, they can't deposit funds in currencies other than the Indian Rupee. Casino operators can, however, convert the Indian currency into other currencies. Indian laws are also silent about Bitcoin.

• Please play only on reviewed and trusted online casinos.

States and their gambling laws

Goa allows gambling in land-based parlours, though. The first gambling casino was set up in this state in 1999, and since then, several gambling casinos have sprung up in Goa. It has also legalized online gambling within its territory.

Gambling laws in Nagaland

Nagaland recognizes only skill-based games in gambling. If you are considering applying for a licence from the Nagaland government, then the Nagaland Finance Commissioner is the right authority. However, your casino and servers must be located within India.

Gambling in the UK

All forms of gambling are allowed within the United Kingdom, However, online casinos must follow certain guidelines laid down by the United Kingdom Gaming Commission. First, all online games must be fair and transparent. Please continue.

1. Please never gamble while using public Wi-Fi

Secondly, online casinos which break law, and help commit crime can be barred and prosecuted by the authorities. Thirdly, all forms of gambling that target children and vulnerable players are banned. This means children can't gamble in the UK.

What about New Zealand?

The New Zealand government requires all local casinos-offline or online- to register themselves with the local regulator. It is silent on overseas online gambling sites, though. This means you can gamble freely on foreign gambling platforms.

The Gambling Act, 2003

This legislation was passed in 2003, and brought all the other gambling laws under one roof. The main purpose of this Act is to control the spread of gambling in New Zealand, and make this activity safe.

Other aspects of Gambling Act, 2002

This Act aims to promote fair and responsible gambling within the country. As a result, all the New Zealand-based gambling sites must ensure that their games are 100% fair and trustworthy. The Gambling Act, 2003 also protects children from gambling.

Preventing crime

This Act also ensures that no slush funds are used on gambling sites within New Zealand. The country's Gaming Commission will check the sources of funds of every casino and player. Therefore, don't use suspicious money for betting.

Other things to consider

Never spend funds beyond your means. Avoid drinking while gambling, else you might lose all your funds. Always play on authorized and licenced online casinos. Please walk away from your game if you are losing for a long time.

Look out for safe and secure casinos

It's better to play on safe and secure casinos than ones which play better bonuses. Thankfully, most casinos used encryption to keep their players' data safe. These websites also have SSL certificates. Gamblers prefer SSL-certified casinos to others.

You should always play on licenced gambling websites. These gambling platforms are not just safe, but also pay on time. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate in reaching out to your gambling regulator or the casino's customer support.