Andhra Pradesh Gambling Laws 2025: Most Restrictive Area

There are a few Indian states that presume gambling and betting are the cause of all evil and that the only solution to that problem is to outlaw it entirely. Regrettably, this is also true for Andhra Pradesh. Dedicated players continue to gamble, but they do so at their own risk. Read further to learn more about the possibility of real money online gambling in Andhra Pradesh.

Gambling Laws In Andhra Pradesh 2025

Is it legal to gamble in Andhra Pradesh? The answer is no. Andhra Pradesh does not allow gambling of any kind, neither offline nor online.

When gambling was prohibited in India, the age of the internet was still far away. And not many Indian states updated that obsolete law, thus having a lot of loopholes around online gambling.

Even though it is technically possible to gamble online if you live in Andhra Pradesh using a smartphone or tablet connected to the internet, it is now illegal.

You can use various software to change your VPN and online location to another country so you can sign up and play at foreign online casino websites. But it’s not worth it because if you are caught, you will suffer the legal consequences.
If you still go through all the trouble, please understand that you are doing so at your own risk. Despite this, we still didn’t hear news of gamblers being prosecuted for gambling online at a foreign online casino.

Andhra Pradesh Gambling Laws

Andhra Pradesh has been a separate state since 2014 when Telangana broke away from it. It retained its original gambling act, but with minor changes, and the Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act 1974 was created.

Initially, the gambling act was very similar to that of other states in India, clarifying the illegality of casinos and games of luck, while allowing horse racing bets. This changed with the Andhra Pradesh Gaming (Amendment) Act in 2020.

Gaming Act Of Andhra Pradesh 2020

As a result of the increased online gambling in Andhra Pradesh during the lockdown caused by the COVID19 pandemic, the state amended its gambling laws, implying the following prohibitions:

• All forms of online betting and gambling involving real money.
• All forms of physical betting and gambling involving real money. Horse racing is the only exception.

In other words, Andhra Pradesh no longer distinguishes between skill and chance games. Anything that is played with real money is illegal.

As the Minister said, the primary reasons for this ban are the COVID19 pandemic and youth protection.

Jail Time For Illegal Gambling In Andhra Pradesh

The Minister of Transport, Information, and Public Relations announced in 2020 that the Andhra Pradesh Council of Ministers has decided to prohibit online gambling.

The new laws now punish those who organize illegal online gambling in the state’s territory with up to one year in prison for the first offence, and up to two years if caught again. If caught, players face up to six months in prison.

Gambling Laws against Local Gambling Organisers

Although the news of the online gambling prohibition is a shock to the business in Andhra Pradesh, the main goal is to reduce the proportion of illicitly organized gambling games done locally by the residents.

The new amendments, like the rest of India’s gambling laws for card and casino games, do not apply to foreign operators. Having said that, while foreign online casinos cannot be prosecuted, gamblers found playing online within the state face the risk of being prosecuted.

Rummy, Poker, Flush, And Other Card Games

Predictably, if money is at stake, no card games can be played lawfully in Andhra Pradesh. It makes no difference whether you’re playing with your friends at home or through a mobile casino app; if players can earn real cash, it’s illegal.

Conclusion

With the new Andhra Pradesh gambling laws 2025, this state rose to the top of the list of the most restrictive Indian states in terms of gambling. We hope that states like Andhra Pradesh will see that there are other solutions to address gambling issues. Until that day, Andhra Pradesh gamblers can continue to do so, although at their own risk, illegally.