In India, gambling is severely restricted to certain areas and about half of all gambling activities are illegal. Much of India’s legislation regarding gambling comes from the Public Gaming Act of 1867.

As a nearly 150-year-old act, the Public Gaming Act of 1867 does not specifically mention anything about internet gambling. However, online wagering and lottery is considered illegal.

Gambling websites have proven to be a lucrative business in India, with most dealing with cricket. An internet search of cricket in India will yield numerous guides on cricket betting and directories of betting portals.

Recently, a great deal of press has been devoted to claims of illegal betting during the country’s multi-billion dollar Twenty20 cricket tournament. Federal investigators revealed widespread illegal betting and match-fixing by Indian bookmakers and some leading players.

There are many people who believe that the corrupt activity displayed during the cricket tournament could be prevented if India were to ease up on gambling legislation. “It should have been legalized long ago. Banning it has created this problem,” said Barun Mitra, head of Liberty Institute, a free-market think-tank in New Delhi

Gambling appears to be both popular and socially acceptable in India. A poll conducted by the Times of India newspaper suggested that 74 percent of respondents were in favor of gambling being made “a legitimate, regulated tax-paying business.”

Goa is the only state of India that allows gambling. It permits electronic land casinos as well as live off shore ones. The government in Goa is promoting offshore casinos by granting new licenses to more companies in an attempt to generate more tourist related revenue.