Abstract

The development of skill-based gaming has enormously unsettled classical gambling laws in India, which are based predominantly on the colonial-era Public Gambling Act, 1867. This study critically analyses the developing legal and regulatory environment of skill-based gaming, probing the contest between games of skill and games of chance under India's highly dispersed, state-specific legal system. Using doctrinal and comparative approach, the research examines seminal judicial interpretations, regulatory loopholes in current legislation, and the socio-economic effects of the expanding online gaming sector. It emphasizes the insufficiency of classic legislation in dealing with electronic platforms, consumer protection, and jurisdictional issues. Drawing lessons using comparative analysis, international regulatory models are used to suggest a hybrid model that balances innovation and prudent governance. The paper concludes by making a case for holistic legal amendments, such as revised definitions, centralized regulation, and standardized policies, to help bring clarity, consumer protection, and sustainable expansion to India's growing skill-based gaming industry.

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