Legality

Our mission at Real Poker is to provide an enjoyable, responsible, and legally compliant gaming platform where players can indulge in playing skill-based real money poker games. Players are often concerned about the legality of poker gaming in India, and we believe in complete transparency. On this page, we are going to clarify categorically here that online poker, when played in internationally recognised formats like Texas Hold'em or Omaha, etc., is considered to be a game of skill and not chance by several courts across India.

The Supreme Court of India and various other High Courts have reiterated that games where a substantial level of skill is involved are not a form of gambling under Indian law. Thus, games of skill such as Poker are protected under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution of India that grants the fundamental right to practice any profession or carry on any trade or business. Poker, much like chess or rummy, involves strategic thinking, probability estimation, and psychological insight. This distinguishes it from the games of pure chance.

Several legal precedents have supported this view. One such case is - Dr. K.R. Lakshmanan vs. State of Tamil Nadu (1996), the Supreme Court ruled that a game that is primarily based on skill, even if it involves an element of chance, does not fall under the definition of gambling. On the same note, in other cases involving games such as rummy and poker, the courts have established that skill is predominant, thus placing them outside the scope of gaming bans, which are applicable to chance-based games as per the Indian judiciary.

Real Poker operates strictly with these legal agreements and can continue to offer its users the opportunity to engage in online poker games that involve real money, provided that they reside in states where skill gaming is not prohibited. However, our participation in any kind of games on our platform is restricted in states where such activities are either limited or banned by local legislation. Currently, we identify these states as Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Sikkim, Nagaland, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana. Residents of these territories are not permitted to participate in paid games or withdraw real money. Our platform geo-blocks such access, and users who try to use any type of VPN to forge participation will be legally penalised and their winnings will be confiscated.

Moreover, Real Poker adheres strictly to KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) regulations. To play any real money game, the user should be 18 years of age or older and possess valid proof of identity and address. This ensures that underage users or those attempting to circumvent regulatory obstructions are automatically disqualified. Any misrepresentation or violation of the rules will lead to the permanent suspension of the concerned account. All financial activities in Real Poker are performed over secure and validated channels. Account identity is also verified while making deposits and placing withdrawals. We guarantee compliance with digital transaction norms and best banking practices to provide users with a convenient and legally secure experience.

Real Poker is an application designed exclusively for Indian residents, and it must be accessed only within India. We do not allow players to use our services in countries or jurisdictions where online skill gaming is not permitted or where the Indian laws do not apply. Account-level actions or restrictions may be imposed on players who are trying to access our platform via VPN, proxies, and/or outside India to comply with legal requirements and to promote transparency in our operations.

It is also necessary to clarify that Real Poker does not promote/facilitate gambling or games of chance. We do not sponsor/conduct any betting, wagering, or lottery-based contests. Our services are intended towards creating a poker gaming ecosystem where real-time players compete on the basis of skill. While participating in real-money games on Real Poker, users acknowledge that they are aware of the legal distinction between games of skill and games of chance, and that they are playing in a jurisdiction that permits skill-based gaming.

Our mission at Real Poker is to develop a trustworthy and transparent real money online poker platform that operates entirely within the legal framework of India, encourages responsible gaming, and upholds the interests of the real-time skill-based players.

In the event you have any legal or compliance-related questions, you may contact our customer support team via:
Email: support@realpoker.inCustomer Support: [Insert Ph. No]