Online gambling is any type of gambling conducted online. This includes sports betting, online casinos and virtual poker. The first online gambling site opened for the public, was ticket selling for the then unsuccessful Liechtenstein International Poker Tournament in 1994. Since then the online gambling industry has grown and is now being offered by various gambling sites, from a simple game of chance with a set price to full time live casino gambling.
India has been a popular destination for many tourists over the years, who come for a little taste of the exotic. And there has been a steady rise in the number of people opting for a little online gambling experience in the land of the Maharajas. There are many reasons for this trend. Firstly the rates in India are much lower than in the West and are thus cheaper and more attractive to tourists. Secondly, many individuals prefer playing at an actual location instead of an online casino. In addition to this, many individuals in India love to gamble as part of a cultural activity so online gambling fits in well with that desire.
One reason for the rise in popularity of online gambling in India is the growth of tourism in the country. Many cities like Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, and Mumbai have gained a reputation for being reputed destinations for entertainment and gambling. The government of these cities has taken measures to increase the level of regulation and security within the casinos, in order to protect their clientele from fraud and theft.
Another reason for the rising popularity of online gambling sites in India is the emergence of regulated and legal business houses operating out of the country. Though it is illegal to operate any form of gambling within the Indian borders, all the gambling sites operate within the parameters of the law. The only point of confusion here arises with reference to the service providers who are operating out of the country.
All the recognized gambling sites are bound by the laws of India and cannot operate their betting or gaming facilities from outside the country. However, the scenario is gradually changing. Several small and big gambling sites have established offices in the cities of UK and other European countries which allow them to provide their online betting and gambling facilities from their premises. Thus, the concept of ‘virtual gambling’ is also coming into existence in India. Though all the gambling sites offer real money betting and table games, some allow betting through the Internet and provide the option of ‘play money’.
One important thing that has to be mentioned in the above paragraph is the need for a software client for each gambling site. Real money betting through the Internet does not work without these software clients. These clients are specifically designed for each gambling site and play software, such as Blackjack, Baccarat, Video Poker, Roulette and Slots, so as to enable the players, who are interested in gambling, to log on to those gambling sites and participate in the real money gambling online.
