Gambling Laws in Odisha 2024: Is it Legal?
By Anthony
Gambling laws in Odisha are so strict that you have to be very inventive to find a place where you can gamble. It’s not even legal to play poker for fun, but we’ll talk about that later. Read on to find out how you can bet in one of the places with the strictest gambling laws.
Gambling Laws in Odisha Explained
Odisha is one of the regions in India with the strictest gambling laws. Gambling laws in Odisha have been changed four times since 1867. Odisha is one of the regions that has newer gambling laws, but they are still not recent enough to cover the details of online gambling.
If you had been involved in gambling from 1867 to 1955, you would not have known exactly what the penalties were or what the punishments were because the laws would confuse everyone. In 1955, all these laws were merged into the Odisha Prevention of Gambling Act, 1955, which makes it very clear that all forms of gambling are illegal.
If you try to initiate any gambling activity, you will suffer the consequences, and the penalties can start with a month in prison, and most likely you will have to pay a considerable fine. The advantage is that nowhere is it stated that these rules also apply to the online environment, so here’s what you can do to bet in Odisha.
How Can you Gamble in Odisha?
While the Odisha Prevention of Gambling Act of 1955 bans horse racing betting and even rummy games, residents of this region have a solution. Although the law has been updated more than four times, it is still very old. It was implemented more than 65 years ago when the internet was not yet a factor to consider.
Is it Legal to Play the Lottery in Odisha?
You might think that in such a big city with such strict gambling rules, the state might decide that at least the lottery should be one of the gambling solutions allowed for every citizen. Unfortunately, even this advantage is one that you can give up on because the lottery is completely banned under the gambling laws in Odisha. If you feel the need to participate in a lottery because you feel lucky, you will be able to do so through an online casino.
Why are Games of Skill still Illegal?
The only explanation available has to do with the gambling laws in Odisha. Legally, there is no difference between games of skill and games of chance. Therefore, all games that can be interpreted as games of skill or games of chance will be banned.
Conclusion
Gambling laws in Odisha are similar to those in other regions that prohibit most gambling activities. The only difference is that here the rules are even stricter; they even forbid the lottery, and the difference between a game of skill and a game of chance does not exist. Apart from the online environment, you will not be able to bet anywhere, and there are no brick and mortar alternatives.
January 3, 2022
