In Delhi, 58 suspects have been detained, and their casino equipment has been seized after police responded to an illegal gambling tip.
Police say that the group used the mobile application “WhatsApp” to arrange the illegal betting scheme. Guests would be invited to the secret location the night before and then directed to the casino once they arrived.
During the Police raid, 15,000 INR, 6,000 tokens, 65 mobile phones, and illegally imported liquor were confiscated. The list of arrested gamblers included jewelers, business executives, and financial traders among others.
The accused used WhatsApp to keep their illegal gambling scheme private. One of the group features in WhatsApp allows users to create a group that is only accessible by invitation.
The Police raid took place during Diwali, a multi-day religious festival. Police found the illegal casino located in a hotel basement in Ghitorni Village. The organizers had plans for six other casino nights before the bust took place.
Illegal gambling has been a problem in India for years since most states do not allow casino gambling. Only three states (Goa, Sikkim, and Daman) in all of India allow casino gambling, and some of those states do not allow locals into the casinos. However, there are other legal options online for India residents looking to participate in casino gaming.
Online mobile casinos operating from offshore jurisdictions are allowed to offer their services to India residents since there are no laws that prevent them. India’s gambling laws do not restrict online gambling services.
Online casinos typically offer more to bettors than domestic casinos in terms of games and services. Many online casino sites will also provide sports betting, poker, live dealer games, bingo, and more to their account holders. Online rupee casinos will also allow user accounts to bet on cricket and other popular sports.
If you do happen to get a request to join a group that participates in illegal gambling, our suggestion is to steer clear and play the legal services. Most un-licensed illegal operations are rigged in the casino operator’s favor, and with no regulation, there is no insurance, and things could go wrong quickly.
According to the Public Gaming Act of 1867, illegal casino operators could face a fine of ₹200 or imprisonment of up to 3 months.