ONLINE GAMING IN TELANGANA AND THE TELANGANA GAMING ACT, 1974

The Telangana Gaming Act, 1974, hereinafter the Gaming Act is one amongst the few
state legislations in India which takes a stringent approach to all forms of online
gaming activity in the nature of wagering or betting and overruling the difference
between a game of skill and game of chance.

The Gaming Act was introduced in the state of Andhra Pradesh in the year 1974 to
regulate various forms of gaming and keeping of gaming houses. Amidst prohibiting
games played for money stakes like mutka and satta, the gaming legislation had a
limited operation on gaming houses. The Gaming Act was the only legislation that
dealt with imposing prohibition on all forms of gaming which involved in the nature of
wagering and betting, baring a few exceptions. After the formation of the state of
Telangana, the Government of Telangana adapted the Gaming Act vide a government
order and made it applicable to the State of Telangana.

The Amendment Act is wide to even include rendering assistance for such online
gaming within the ambit of the Gaming Act.