The Complete Guide to Playing Online Casino Games in India
Games like Blackjack and Roulette have been played for thousands of years worldwide. However, over the last few years, we've seen an increase in the rise of online casinos which allows Indians to play online casino game from the comfort of their own homes! While it was only possible to play casino games by physically going to a casino before (which are not permitted in most parts of the country), online casinos have made them available anywhere and at any time!
However, given the huge list of online casinos and games available to Indian players today, some can have a few questions like:
- What are the most popular online casino games?
- Which online casinos are the safest to play in India?
- Which online casino bonuses are worth it?
In this in-depth guide, we take you through everything you need to know to get started playing online casino games in India! If you want to learn more about a specific casino game, you can check our guide on it below!
The Most Popular Casino Games and How to Play Them
Most online casinos in India offer thousands of games to their players. However, there are some games which are found listed on all online casinos, and for good reason. These games are considered to be the most popular casino games ever so let’s dive in and take a look at how to play them, and where to play them.
Blackjack
Blackjack is the American version in the family of global banking games called Twenty-One. The game is played between the casino (represented by a dealer) and the player. It is also the most widely-played casino game worldwide.
There are several variations of the game but the standard Blackjack game rules can be summarized as follows:
- The game can be played with one or more decks of 52 cards. The hand value of the card represents the pip value while all face cards represent a value of 10. Aces can be considered as 1 or 11 depending on the situation.
- To start the game, the player is dealt two cards (one exposed, one visible) by the dealer. The dealer also deals himself two cards (one exposed, another visible). The value of the two cards is determined by the individual value of the cards described above.
- The goal of the game, for the player, is to have a higher hand value than the dealer while not exceeding 21 as the total value. Players can draw additional cards and bet on each draw if their hand would be better than the dealer. Once the player is satisfied with the additional cards drawn, and not busted yet, the dealer has to reveal the hidden card and draw more until their hand’s total value is 17 or more, or they get busted.
- In order to win, the player must hold a better hand than the dealer at the end without exceeding a total value of 21. Learn more about Blackjack by going through our dedicated Blackjack guide.
Best sites to play online blackjack in India:
Considering the variants, game quality, and the welcome bonus, here are our picks for the best sites in India to play blackjack:
Roulette
Roulette, just like Blackjack, is another classic casino game that has achieved massive popularity worldwide. One of the reasons why Roulette is so popular is that its rules are very easy to understand and the gameplay is quick and completely based on chance.
The game is played by rolling a small white ball on a specially made “Roulette” wheel. The wheel is filled with packets which are marked with numbers ranging from 0 to 36. The packets for each number are also coloured either black or red. The player simply bets on the outcome of where the ball would land at the end of the spin. The payouts are pre-determined, and if the ball lands at 0, all players lose and the house wins the round.
There are several variants of Roulette and some use a slightly different wheel. For example, American Roulette has two packets that are marked as 0 and 00 while French Roulette only has one slot that’s marked as 0. You can learn more about the best tips and tricks on playing Roulette at our dedicated Roulette guide.
Best sites to play online roulette in India:
Almost every online casino site offers some variants of roulette. However, according to us, here are the best online casinos to play Roulette in India:
Slots
The history of slots is fascinating. They started off as clunky mechanical machines with a simple operation but today, you can play online video slots on literally all your devices. At most online casinos, slots are usually the lion’s share of the game library.
These days, there are a wide range of slots developed every year. Instead of having only one spin feature, most slots today feature unique and multiple features, amazing and fun graphics, and can also contain characters from some of the most popular media franchises ever created.
While the gameplay for slots has remained the same essentially (i.e. you place your bet and press a button to spin the reels), some slots allow players to make choices after the spin too. We recommend checking out our online slots guide to learn more about the various types of slots available today and which ones are the most profitable.
Best sites to play online slots in India:
According to our team of experts, here are the best sites to play online slots in India after considering all the essential factors:
Baccarat
While just as popular as Blackjack and Roulette, Baccarat is a slightly more complex casino game to get into. The rules of the game can be confusing at first, especially if you’re just getting into Baccarat, and we would highly recommend going through our Baccarat guide to understand how the game works.
Once considered to be James Bond’s game of choice, Baccarat is not only found in posh casinos today, but also on every major online casino.
Best sites to play online Baccarat in India:
Live Casino Games
Live Casino Games are a relatively new type of online casino games. A live casino game is any online casino game that you can play against a live dealer in real-time.
These games use technologies like live-streaming and screen reading software to provide a seamless experience of wagering in real-time against professional dealers.
Many game studios worldwide have created live casino versions of several popular games like Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat and a few have also released live versions of Indian casino games like Andar Bahar and Teen Patti. Many live casino games also offer the option of Hindi-speaking dealers, which can be very helpful for players who are comfortable playing in their own language.
You can learn more about live casino games by going through our Live Casino Games guide.
Best sites to play live casino games in India:
According to our team of experts, here are the best sites to play online slots in India after considering all the essential factors:
Casino Games that are Native to India
As international online casinos like Royal Panda started entering the Indian market, they also started a trend of incorporating classic Indian casino games to their library to attract Indian players. Here are some of the most popular casino games that are native to India:
Andar Bahar
Andar Bahar is a popular Indian card game that is played with a single deck of cards. The rules of the game are very easy to understand (and they are described in depth on our Andar Bahar guide). In Andar Bahar, the player has bets on the outcome of a card falling either in the “Andar” slot or the “Bahar” slot with a fixed pre-determined payout table deciding the returns of the wagers.
Best sites to play online Andar Bahar in India:
Teen Patti
Teen Patti is perhaps the most popular Indian casino game. Usually played all over the country during Diwali, the game is an adapted version of Poker and is also referred to as 3-card Poker in some online casinos. The rules for the game be a bit complicated but you can find everything you need to know by going through our Teen Patti guide.
Best sites to play online Teen Patti in India:
Jhandi Munda
Jhandi Munda might not be as popular as Andar Bahar or Teen Patti, but the game is still quite popular in some parts of the country, especially Arunachal Pradesh. The game is based around specifically made Jhandi Munda dice. The players bet on the outcome of a six-dice roll and the returns are decided by a fixed payout table. To learn more about the payout table and the general rules of Jhandi Munda, you can take a look at our Jhandi Munda guide.
Best sites to play online Jhandi Munda:
RTP on Casino Games
If you’re new to online casino games, you might have heard of “House Advantage” by now. What that term refers to is the advantage that casinos have in almost every game. While it does mean that, given enough time and a large player pool, casinos will always make money, it doesn’t mean all casino games are rigged against players.
It is possible to play casino games and still be profitable. However, if you keep playing for a really long period of time and a game with a high house edge, you will theoretically not be profitable.
We always advise players to stick with playing games with a lower house edge. To help us with this, we have a useful tool which is known as the “return-to-player” (RTP).
RTP determines the amount of money players can expect to win in a game against the house over a long period of time. For example, if a slot’s RTP is 98%, it will pay back ₹98 for every ₹100 wagered on average. However, do note that the RTP is an averaged long-term metric that does not account for volatality, which means playing on the same slot can be also very profitable in the short-term too (i.e. the RTP is not a estimate of every bet’s outcome.)
It is possible to calculate the RTP for all casino games, but it is mostly used in slots where the game studio calculates and releases the RTP for each slot.
On average, most slots have RTPs that fall in the range of 98%-99.9%. The RTP for some other games are as follows -
- Blackjack - 99.3% to 99.6%
- Roulette (European) - 98.37%
- Baccarat - 98.76%
- Andar Bahar - 95.57%
- Teen Patti - 97.5%
- Jhandi Munda - 97.14%
Playing Online Lottery
What are the Different Types of Online Casino Games?
While the number of online casino games is staggeringly huge, there are usually two main types of online casino games that you should be aware of. These are Random Number Generator (RNG) Based games and Live Casino games. Most online casinos usually offer both types of games. Here’s a bit more info on them:
RNG-Based online casino games
The first online casino games were based on the concept of Random Number Generators and a large number of online casino games still run on the same concept.
Since most casino games involve lucky heavily, it is vital to recreate the randomness in online games to make the game both fun and fair.
In it’s simplest form, RNG generates numbers randomly which then translate into game outcomes. While this might sound like a simple task, it is very hard to create true randomness when it comes to mathematics.
Modern RNGs used in online casinos today are complex algorithms that are created by experts and then audited regularly by authorities like MGA to ensure they work fairly.
Any online casino game that relies on a random outcome and creates that outcome automatically is a RNG-based game.
Live casino games online
While RNGs were initially used due to constraints like internet speed and technology, online casino game providers have developed a new type of game which are known as Live Casino Games.
In a live casino game, the outcome is decided by the actions of a professional dealer in a game studio. The entire game is live-streamed and the software handles all the bets in real-time. For example, in a live online Roulette game, a dealer will physically spin a Roulette wheel and wait for the ball to drop in the right section as opposed to a RNG-based game where the outcome is determined via random number generation.
How to Play Online Casino Games in India?
With several high-quality international online casinos making their forays into the Indian market, it is easier than ever to play online casino games in India.
Here’s a quick guide on how to get started:
- Select the online casino you want to play in. It is a good idea to check out the reviews first because it helps you understand what that particular brand can offer and what are their strengths/weaknesses.
- Sign up for an account on the online casino. Most of the online casinos offer great welcome bonuses and we would highly recommend considering that too while you make your decision.
- Once you have registered your account, make your first deposit and you’re all set to go!
Depending on the online casino, you can get access to tons of RNG-based online casino games, live casino games, and even sports betting opportunities!
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Casino Games
Summary
Online casinos have evolved over the last decade, and so have online casino games. While the most popular options are still classics such as Blackjack and Roulette, more options like Andar Bahar and Teen Patti are propping up everyday.
With live casino games, the online experience has improved significantly and players can now experience the thrill of casino from anywhere, and at any time. However, RNG-based games, especially online slots are still extremely popular.
Overall, in order to maximize profits, we recommend playing games that you are familiar with. If you plan on learning more about a particular games, several online casinos actually allow you to play it for free in order to get a hang of it!