Maharashtra contributes more to India’s gross domestic product than any other state. Being the country’s richest state, Maharashtra also plays a pivotal role in the gambling industry of India.
Its capital city Mumbai, also known as the financial capital of India, is considered to be the focal point of betting activities in the country. Interestingly, Mumbai accounts for a major share of the $150 billion gambling industry, with the influx coming from the illegal sports betting industry.
Gambling laws in Maharashtra
Maharashtra’s betting activities are governed under the Prevention of Gambling Act 1887, also known as the Bombay Prevention of Gambling Act 1887. The state is also regulated by the Indian gambling laws of the Public Gambling Act 1867. These laws are considered to be out of date and not suitable for use in the 21st century.
As mentioned in the seventh schedule of the Indian Constitution, state governments have the right to form their own laws for betting and so, there are different rules for different states.
Betting and gambling: What is legal in Maharashtra?
Offline, horse racing and the state lottery are legal in Maharashtra, and physical gambling is governed by the state’s 1887 Act described above.
Online, the answer no longer depends on the state. The Online Gaming Act 2025, in force across India since 1 May 2026, prohibits offering, advertising or processing payments for any online game played for money, whether it is a game of skill or of chance. That covers the real-money rummy, poker and fantasy contests that were widely available in Maharashtra before the Act, and it is why apps such as Dream11 no longer run paid contests. Free-to-play games and e-sports with entry fees remain permitted.
For the full position across online and offline gambling, see our guide: is sports betting legal in India?
What are the punishments for committing a crime related to betting?
Under the Maharashtra Prevention of Gambling Act 1887, it is illegal to organise and run a gaming house. If caught, punishments include one-month imprisonment and a fine of INR 200. The second offence invites three months of imprisonment and a fine of 200 while the third-time offender will be put behind bars for six months.
Is gambling legal in Maharashtra?
The Maharashtra government has in the past considered legalising online betting to raise revenue; a minister told the Times of India that the government was analysing what legalisation might mean. That question has since been settled at national level: online money games now fall under the central Online Gaming Act 2025, which overrides state law where the two conflict, so any change for online betting would have to come from Parliament rather than from the state.
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