Lakshadweep gambling guide

Lakshadweep, a group of islands off the coast of Kerala, is a Union Territory of India that is governed by the Public Gambling Act, 1867.

This basically outlaws any forms of gambling and imposes fines or jail terms on those who are caught either supplying gambling products, or even gambling, although this rule is rarely applied.

There is one train of though that the picturesque Lakshadweep islands could be an ideal place to trial legal forms of gambling, given the huge tourist potential it already has.

Having said this close to 80% of India is Hindu, which heavily frowns upon gambling. But the harsh reality is that by regulating sports betting at the very least it can help stamp out some of the social ills that have crept into India through its citizens fascination with gambling pursuits.

It brings us to the dilemma raging right across India, profits vs morality. One thing is for sure, Lakshadweep is unlikely to be the state that pushes for further legislation surrounding online or offline gambling.

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Online sports betting in Lakshadweep

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Because there are no licensed sports betting websites in India, those who want to partake in it must wager either with illegal bookies (which there are few of in this district) or with one of the many offshore online bookies.

Many of these websites cater specifically to the rupee and even have a version of their website in popular Indian languages, although it’s unlikely you will come across Mahl which is spoken in the southernmost parts of this country.

Online casinos in Lakshadweep

Much like sports betting there are no online casinos licensed by the Indian government, or the local authorities in Lakshadweep, which means to play real money games you must do it at an offshore website.

All this really means is that the casino you will play at will be licensed in somewhere such as the United Kingdom or Malta, which are both great licensing jurisdictions with stringent measures.

Some of the games available to play include 100s of real money slots, blackjack, baccarat, roulette, video poker and many, many more titles. All you need is a smartphone or computer and you are away.

Gambling laws in Lakshadweep

As previously mentioned the only law that impacts Lakshadweep is the Public Gambling Act. Much of the island’s governance comes under the Kerala High Court, which is the state closest to the islands. The World Gambling List will pass on new information as it comes to pass, which seems inevitable given the hold that gambling has on citizens of India.

Lakshadweep overview and information

While from a gambling perspective this part of India does not have any regulated or legal gambling, if you are lucky enough to visit you will see something really beautiful. Located about 440km off the south-western coast of India, the Lakshadweep islands have a population of around 65,000 with many of the smaller islands not inhabited at all. The inhabited islands in Lakshadweep are Amini, Kavaratti, Agatti, Bangaram, Kadmat, Kiltan, Chetlat, Bitra, Andrott, Kalpeni and Minicoy.