Gambling in Manipur
GAMBLING in Manipur, as in much of India, happens every day although it is technically illegal and many oppose it on religious grounds.
These beliefs are stringent in comparison with other parts of India, with some believing playing cards, whether for money or fun, is against their religious code.
There are several days of the year including Diwali and LuiNgai-Ni when gambling such as house bumper draws and lotteries are held legally as a way to raise funds for development in Manipur.
Even this is a point of contention with traditional groups such as the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), who were behind a bombing believed to have been in response to gambling during Diwali festival.
While these legal gambling events are held, it is online where most residents of Manipur bet on sports or play at online casinos.
Manipur online sports betting
Cricket is hugely popular in this north-eastern state in India and citizens love to bet on it, with everything from the Indian Premier League to the Indian national team creating great interest.
Because of the strict local laws there are no legal sports betting options, rather people bet with offshore bookmakers, or websites hosted and licensed in other places.
At these bookies you will find thousands of different markets on hundreds of different sports on a daily basis.
Manipur online casinos
Again there are no online casinos regulated by the Manipur authorities, which means you can online wager with offshore options.
At online casinos catering to this area you will find every game you can possible imagine, including some of the best online slots available, many different table games (blackjack, roulette, baccarat, poker variants etc) and even games of skill.
Horse racing in Manipur
There are five breeds of horses credited with having originated from India, with one of these the Manipuri pony, which is largely believed to have been bred in Manipur.
However horse racing in Manipur is illegal and there are no tracks in this district. Often you will find illegal betting on polo matches, for which the Manipuri pony was bred. Unfortunately the Manipuri pony numbers have dwindled in recent times with some reports suggesting there are fewer than 500 left.
Gambling laws in Manipur
The Public Gambling Act is the Federal law that is imposed in Manipur, with the state making just one amendment to it, which was to bring penalties in line with the state’s enforcement policy. Basically it states that fines can be recovered in the same way as the existing laws of the state for other crimes. In short the penalties are pretty harsh for crime in Manipur.
Online wagering is not really covered under Indian law, but if you are caught openly gambling on the internet, we can’t make any promises that you won’t be charged.