Online Lottery in India

How do Online Lotteries Work?

Online lotto sites have been around for more than a decade. How they work is very simple - 

• The customer (you) places the order to buy lottery tickets on the lotto site. The lotteries available depend on the particular site but most of them offer the biggest online lotteries from all over the world.
  
  
• With online lotto sites, you are no longer limited to your physical location for opportunities. Instead, you can take part in lottos held thousand of miles away from you too with equal ease.
  
  
• After the order has been placed by the customer, the lotto site buys the ticket from the actual lottery and sends it to the customer electronically. If the customer wins the lottery, the lotto site facilitates the prize-claiming process too.

How to ensure a lotto site is legitimate

Even though all the lotto sites reviewed on this site are genuine, it is also true that there are a number of different sites out there which are scams. In case you're looking for some warning signs when it comes to lotto sites, here are a few:

• Lack of a SSL certificate
  As a general rule for websites, you should never share your financial data on a website that is not secured by a SSL certificate. Websites which are secured by SSL certificates are easily identified by most modern browsers as there will be a green lock icon right next to URL. SSL certificates are absolutely vital as they ensure that your financial data stays safe and encrypted. 
  
  
• Lack of good reviews
   If the lotto website does not have any good reviews or testimonials, there is a pretty good chance that it might be a scam. Simillarly, websites with bad reviews might not be completely scams but they are also pretty risky when it comes to using them.
  
  
• Non-existent customer service
  Lastly, one of the biggest warning signs when it comes to lotto sites is the lack of high-quality customer support. Every legit lotto website makes it a priority that their customers get the best experience. If the lotto site does not have a customer support number, email, or ticket system, the chances are pretty high that it just might be a scam.

Beware of sites selling state lottery tickets in India

As of date, regulated state lotteries in India do not permit online ticket sales. However there are several websites that claim to be selling state lottery tickets. However, these sites are often scams. Before depositing money into any lotto site, it is extremely important to ensure that the site is regulated and has a valid license.

Rules for playing online lotteries

Every online lotto site has terms and conditions but there are some general rules that apply for online lotteries, regardless of where you are. While it is highly recommended to read the terms and conditions of any online lotto site you use, here are some general rules that you should keep in mind while using these services:

• You should be of the legal age to gamble in your local judistiction. In most parts of the world, the legal age is 18 but it might vary in other areas.
• Participating in lotteries should be allowed by the local laws where you live.
• The lottery you're participating in should not be have been blacklisted or banned in your area.
• You'll need to submit some sort of documentation when you're creating an account.
• You're still liable for paying taxes on the winnings.

Legality of Lotto Sites in India

The legality of lotteries in India is decided by the state government and not the central government. 

Out of the 29 states in the country, 13 of them have regulated legal lotteries run by the government. These states include Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Sikkim, and West Bengal. In these states, it is legal to buy lottery tickets and participate in lotteries created by the government.

Fortunately, even in the states where lotteries are illegal, it is still possible to use online lotto sites as these sites do not fall under any legal jurisdiction which makes using lotto sites fully legal to play on. 

Naturally, since the income from lotteries is not illegal, winners are still liable to pay taxes on their winnings and comply with India’s anti-money-laundering regulations.