How This Comparison Was Built

This page explains the sources, selection criteria and limits behind the Law Comparator, so readers can judge how much weight to put on any given row.

Why these six criteria

The comparator uses six fixed criteria — base statute, key state amendment or instrument, casino status, skill-gaming status, regulator, and most recent notification on record — because these are the categories most consistently addressed, in some form, across the six states covered. We chose a fixed structure rather than a free-text summary so that comparisons are apples-to-apples: every state is described against the same headings, in the same order, whether or not a given state has much to say under a particular heading.

Why six states

Goa, Sikkim, Nagaland, Daman & Diu, Tamil Nadu and Telangana were selected because, taken together, they illustrate the widest practical range of outcomes traceable back to the Public Gambling Act, 1867 — from states that amended the Act to permit licensed casino operation, to states that enacted entirely separate statutes, to states that tightened restrictions on specific formats. Other states also have relevant frameworks; this set is a representative sample rather than an exhaustive survey of all Indian states and Union Territories.

Sourcing and the role of "verify"

Statutory text, amendment dates, and the identity of designated regulators change over time, and secondary summaries — including this one — can lag behind the current gazette text. For that reason, every specific factual claim on this site carries, explicitly or by section-level note, an instruction to verify it against the current official gazette text before publishing it elsewhere or relying on it for a decision. This is not a disclaimer used to avoid accuracy; it is a structural acknowledgment that a static reference site cannot track live legislative amendments in real time, and that readers with a specific need should always go to the primary source.

What this comparator does not do

The comparator does not offer legal advice, does not predict enforcement outcomes, does not evaluate the merits of any state's approach, and does not track case law in detail. It also does not cover local or municipal rules that may sit below the state level in some jurisdictions. Readers who need a definitive answer for a specific situation should consult a qualified legal professional licensed in the relevant state, alongside the current gazette text.

Update cadence

This is a static reference; it is not connected to a live legislative feed. Content is reviewed periodically, and any page believed to be materially out of date should be treated with additional caution until the relevant section has been re-checked against the current gazette text.

This is not legal advice. See the editorial policy for information about who maintains this site.