Category: Bingo

Can I Play Online Bingo in India?

Gambling

This term might sound familiar to most of us and some of us may have indulged in it at least once in our lifetime. While some dreads the word, others have a never ending thirst for it. Gambling dates back to the ancient times as there have been various articles that depict our kings and courts men indulging in it. It was considered a type of sport during the olden days, which the rich enjoy playing. In the past this privilege was mostly for people who attended high-end bars. But in today’s world, where everything is available at our fingertips in just a click, gambling has also taken a new form as online Bingos. You must be thinking can i play online bingo?

Popularity of bingo

Talking about the legality of online Bingos, even though there were rules to prevent public gambling, there are no records so far on prosecuting anyone for online betting. Rules vary from places to places as in some states there are explicit laws against online Bingos, whereas states like Goa, Sikkim and Daman has made online Bingos officially legal. Earlier the only legal requirement for offshore Bingo companies to have sites that focus on Indian players was to allow Indian Rupees as cash out. But, in recent times Telangana and Andhra Pradesh had banned all online Bingos for its citizens.

Although our Government does everything in its power to protect its citizens from the evils of the internet, still a lot of them fall prey to it. There have been many cases where the users bet their hard earned money online and lose the entire amount and in the hope of regaining the amount continue to bet till they fall in the trap of never ending debt. Online Bingos have caused numerous people to end their lives due to its addiction which has lead them to a cycle of debt.

There has been a sharp increase in the number of people gaming during the Covid lockdown as people thought of it as a way to spend their free time productively.  It would be great if the government could take necessary steps to educate its citizens more on safe betting instead of banning it completely. It would be better to regulate and monitor these online Bingo sites so that they do not indulge in any fraudulent practices hence ensuring the users safety. An informed citizen is way better than an ignorant one.