Playing at offshore online casinos on your computer or phone in India is 100% safe. While general Indian gambling legislation is outdated, online gaming is fair game and there is a variety of secure top-rated real money card game sites accepting players based in India. Learn more about current laws and the best casino sites to play in our special guide for Indian players.
Best card games online casinos for players from India
Is it legal to play online card games in India?
The Public Gambling Act of 1867 is the general piece of legislation covering gambling within India and its 29 states and seven union territories. First implemented over a century ago, it is no surprise the act only prohibits land-based gambling activities – the Internet was not exactly around in 1867.
The general consensus among many in India is that online gambling is ambigious under the Information Technology Act of 2000. This act does not specifically mention gambling, which had led to several interpretations of what it may cover and what power it grants authorities in terms of blocking off-shore websites its residents visit.
Regulation of online gambling, then, is mostly ignored within the country. Because there are no laws directing governing it, Indian players are 100% allowed to play at offshore Internet casino sites and play card games like baccarat, blackjack and poker for real money or free fun, without worrying about engaging in illegal activity. This applies to playing games on both computer and mobile devices.
There is one region in India which has recently enacted legal framework directly addressing online casinos. The Sikkim On-line Gaming (Regulation) Act 2008 explicitly allows card games like baccarat (punto banco), blackjack, and poker, as well as other table games like bingo, keno, and roulette as legal games for online play. The state of Sikkim has so far been one of two areas in India to introduce legislation related specifically to online gaming and make it officially operational.
The other Indian state which has introduced gambling legislation to address online gaming is Maharashtra. If you live here, you are not allowed to partake in any form of online gambling under the Bombay Wager Act, so unfortunately Maharashtra residents should not follow this guide and refrain from further reading.
Types of card games Indian players can play online
A huge variety of card games are available to play online for free or real money at the casino websites we recommend on this page, including but not limited to:
- Baccarat – Chemin de fer, live dealer and punto banco variations
- Blackjack – Over 20+ different rule sets, including Atlantic City, Multi-Hand 21, and Vegas Strip
- Casino Hold’Em – Live dealer and RNG variants
- Poker – Carribean Stud, H.O.R.S.E., Three Card Poker and more
- Pontoon – Regular Pontoon rules and Spanish 21
- Solitaire – Classic and Three Card Solitaire
- Video Poker– Over 20+ variants, including Aces and Faces and Deuces Wild
Online video slot machines number in the thousands at several of our sites, made by the very best game developers on the Web, including BetSoft, Microgaming, Net Entertainment, NextGen Gaming, Play’n Go, Thunderkick and more. Slots are perfect for when you want something a little less intense and more relaxing to play. Other casino classics like craps, roulette, and Sic Bo are widely available.
There is also a huge assortment of casual games like bingo, keno, and scratchies if you’re looking for a palette cleanser in between an intense game of 21 or poker.
Best card game sites accepting Indian players
There are several top-rated online casinos which cater to Indian residents who want the highest quality real money card game experiences. Many of the sites we recommend across our domain are renowned globally for their games catalogue, service, security and fair payouts. While most online card game sites only accept EUR, GBP or USD, the ones we detail below directly accept deposits in INR currency, allowing you to play and withdraw winnings as Indian Rupees rather than worry about conversions.
Jackpot City: Founded in 1998, Jackpot City is one of the pioneers in the online real money gaming space. It is a trusted and top-recommended Internet casino for players from all around the world, including residents in India. You can deposit, play and withdraw winnings all in INR currency with over 500 real money games to play, including a huge assortment of table games and poker variations. Jackpot City uses Microgaming software, the leading game developer for real money casinos around the world, and Evolution Gaming for their live dealer section, which sees real people handle baccarat, blackjack and roulette tables, streamed live to your computer or mobile device – an experience just like if you were at a live casino venue itself.
Royal Vegas Casino: Founded in 2000, Royal Vegas Casino is part of the Fortune Lounge Group, a renowned assortment of real money casino websites which are highly recommended for their proven track records in games quality, fairness and regulation, payouts and service. Upon signing up with RVC, make sure to select your currency as INR (Indian Rupee) and then you can immediately begin playing your favourite titles. Royal Vegas also have live dealer Microgaming and Evolution Gaming variants of baccarat, blackjack and poker – so you can enjoy playing with beautiful female dealers handling your cards, streamed directly to your computer or mobile, all from the comfort of home.
How to deposit at online casinos accepting Indian players
While you can deposit Indian rupees (INR) to play your favourite card games at the online casinos we listed above, many other sites which accept Indian players do not support INR. If you choose to play at these sites, you must convert your money into more widely accepted currencies, such as AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP or USD to play for real money at these online venues. There are a number of ways you can transfer funds at online casinos to begin playing, including credit and debit cards, e-Wallets such as Neteller and Skrill, or direct bank transfers via your financial institution. Some of these options may be more restrictive depending on your provider, as they may block transactions you make related to online gambling, so be sure to consider using third-party services like Neteller to avoid such dramas.