Bihar is the third largest state in India. It’s also one that hasn’t updated its gambling laws since the 19th century. The laws passed back then strictly prohibited gambling, but they didn’t mention online gambling since it wasn’t yet invented. This allows the players to legally gamble online using casinos based outside the state.

We’ve compiled a list of casinos offering their services to Bihar casino players for you to browse and choose from. These provide many different online casino games, different online betting options, and often generous online casino bonuses. All of these features should be taken into account when deciding which online casino will suit you best.

List of the Best Casino Sites in Bihar

Is Online Gambling Legal in Bihar?

Online gambling isn’t regulated in Bihar. That’s because it’s still governed by the laws passed in 1876. These laws prohibited gambling in almost all forms, including lotteries and betting on sporting events. All of those remained popular in Bihar regardless of the restrictions.

The state largely turns a blind eye to those who gamble abroad by allowing them to deposit their winnings in Indian accounts and taxing them at a rate of 30 per cent once the sum has grown larger than 10.000 rupees. Horse betting is legal in Bihar, both online and offline. 

Brief History of Online Gambling in Bihar

Online gambling became popular in Bihar and the rest of India in the 1990s when the practice first became possible with personal computers and the adoption of the internet. Gambling in India was always a big part of local culture and online gambling gave the players a chance to sidestep the laws.

Over the years online gambling became more sophisticated as better technology became widely available. It moved to mobile devices and AI became a crucial part of the process a couple of years ago. Online casinos also started accepting a variety of different casino payment methods.

Current Gambling Laws in Bihar

At this point, there’s only one law governing gambling in Bihar. It’s an outdated Public Gambling Act passed in 1876. This law prohibited almost all kinds of gambling, including lotteries and sports betting. The only exception is betting on horse racing, which is allowed.

Over the years other states have made exemptions for lotteries and issued new and modern laws to cover online gambling. Bihar didn’t do that and online gambling, therefore, remained a loophole allowing players to bet if the casinos they use – are based outside the state. The funds you win this way are still taxed.

Bihar Online Casinos Games

Online casinos that operate in Bihar provide a variety of different online casino games to meet the needs of their players. This includes Indian and western online casino games since both are played and popular in India. Online casinos also offer casino games of luck and casino games of chance catering to different types of casino experiences.

Online casinos also differ greatly when it comes to the bonus structures they provide. Casino bonuses are a great way to attract new players and they mitigate the risks for new players that want to try gambling out. However, many online casino bonuses come with wagering requirements attached. This means a player can’t withdraw without wagering some money of their own.

Online gambling isn’t regulated in Bihar, therefore, remained a loophole that allows players to bet if the casinos they use are based outside the state.

Casino Slot Games in Bihar

Slots are the most popular gambling game in Bihar online casinos and in online casinos in India in general. It’s a game of luck that’s easy to learn and enjoy. A player can win big at slots even with the smallest of initial bets if they are lucky enough. There’s nothing a player can do to affect the outcome of the casino slot game since it’s controlled by the random number generator.

Online slots come in many shapes and sizes and in countless themes and aesthetics. They also have different bonus schemes and multipliers depending on the game you choose. It’s important for a player to investigate the return to player rate before deciding which slot game to play.

Casino Table & Card Games in Bihar

Table games and card games are also widely played in Bihar. They are casino games of chance rather than luck and a player can affect the outcome of the game based on how they approach the gameplay and how they place their bets. The games still have an edge in favour of the casino, but it’s lower than with other gambling games. These include:

  • Poker is the most beloved card game. It comes in many variations, but Texas Hold’Em is the most played in Bihar.
  • Blackjack is both a card and table controlled by a dealer and the key to winning at blackjack is to know when to bet and when to give up.
  • Roulette is a table game of luck in which players bet on which number a wheel will stop and it can be won by strategic bets.
  • Teen Patti is an Indian card game of skill somewhat similar to poker.
  • Andar Bahar is an Indian card game of luck.

Online Lottery in Bihar

The lottery is allowed in 13 Indian states, but Bihar isn’t one of them. Broad laws governing gambling therefore also cover the lottery as it’s a game of luck. However, the online lottery isn’t mentioned at all, allowing the players to use the loophole and play online lotteries based outside the state.

A lottery is a game of luck alone, meaning that the player can only guess the winning numbers and hope for the best. There are no ways for players to increase their odds or to try to cut their losses. The chances of winning an online lottery are quite small.

Live Casinos in Bihar

Live casinos are a popular innovation in the world of online gambling. The games played live are streamed from real on-the-ground casinos and in real time. They are controlled by a live casino dealer with players taking part in the live casino as the game unfolds. The live casino rules and the gameplay are the same as in the real casino.

Online gambling isn’t regulated in Bihar so players are allowed to play in online live casinos if they are based outside the state. It’s more exciting that way and it has the look and feel of visiting a casino from the comfort of your own phone.

Horse racing is allowed in Bihar but there’s no place to bet since it’s less popular in Bihar than in most other Indian states.

Sports Betting in Bihar

Sports betting isn’t allowed in Bihar since it’s a form of gambling and a game of chance. However, you’re still allowed to bet if you use an establishment that’s based outside the state and isn’t affected by its laws. The most popular sports betting in Bihar are cricket and football.

Horse race betting is the only form of gambling that’s allowed in Bihar but it’s not a state known for its love for horses, unlike many others. There is no place to bet on horse racing in Bihar, at least not on the ground. You can bet on it online, however.

How to Gamble from Bihar (Legally)

Gambling isn’t allowed in Bihar since it still has a law dating back to the 19th century that prohibited it altogether. However, online gambling is allowed since it’s not regulated as it wasn’t invented at the time. It’s therefore perfectly safe to use the services of a casino based abroad.

In order to do so, you’ll need a payment method to deposit and withdraw the funds to and from your online casino account. As soon as they are transferred to India your winnings are taxable even though the practice itself is illegal in Bihar. The tax rate is 30 per cent.

Choose the Casino

The first thing to do is to choose one of the online casinos operating outside Bihar from our list. It’s legal to use them and they vary greatly in terms of the games they offer and the size of the wagers players are allowed to make.

It’s also important for the players to familiarize themselves with the bonuses casinos provide for their new players since it’s a great way to somewhat mitigate the risks of online betting. These casino bonuses aren’t free money as they often come with wagering requirements. It means you’ll need to bet some of your own money before you can withdraw the casino bonus.

Choose a Payment Method

Since you can bet only using online casinos, you’ll also need to choose a payment method to transfer your funds to and from it. Most casinos accept bank accounts, debit cards, and e-wallets, but there are other payment methods as well. For instance, it’s possible to charge a deposit from your phone bill.

All of these payment methods have their own upsides and downsides, different fee structures, and different waiting times when it comes to making withdrawals. It’s a good idea to investigate and compare these before using them.

Choose the Game

In the end, you should carefully choose which online casino games you plan to bet on. It’s best to play the casino games you know and love. This will increase your odds and allow you to get the most out of the casino game simply by keeping a grasp on the rules.

Most online casinos allow players to play for tokens rather than for real money. This is a good way to try the game out, with real gameplay and the same chances as you would when playing for cash. Most players move on to playing for real money when they are ready to do so.

Sports betting isn’t allowed in Bihar but online betting is common.

Play at the Top Online Casinos in Bihar

Bihar doesn’t allow gambling, but it has outdated laws that don’t mention online gambling at all. This creates a loophole that allows the players to use the services of online casinos based outside the state. Bihar still taxes the winnings made in this fashion.

We’ve created a list of online casinos that offer their services to Bihar gamblers, for you to browse and choose from. Make sure you investigate the casino before making your call and especially pay attention to the size of the casino bonuses you can get with each online casino. The wagering requirements attached to those casino bonuses are equally important as they limit how much of the casino bonus you can withdraw.

Frequently Asked Questions

Gambling is not legal in Bihar, but online gambling isn’t regulated, therefore, remained a loophole that allows players to bet if the casinos they use are based outside the state.

Sports betting, with the exemption of horse racing is not legal in Bihar. However, you are still permitted to place sports bets if you use an establishment that is based outside the state and is not affected by its laws.

The lottery is not legal in Bihar. However, the online lottery is not mentioned at all, enabling gamblers to use the loophole and play online lotteries based out of state.

The most common payment methods are cards, e-wallets, and bank accounts.

Gambling in Bihar is regulated by the Public Gambling Act of 1876. However, it doesn’t cover online gambling.

Vladimir Kovačević
Vladimir Kovačević LinkedIn

Vladimir is our content editor with years of experience in the online casino and sports betting industry, which includes writing for websites like Football Whispers, Pundit Feed, and Football Ground Guide, among others. In addition to professional experience in this industry, Vladimir also has a personal relationship with sports betting and online gambling, which helps him dig deeper to provide useful, accurate, and relevant information about casino sites in India.