The legal position of online gambling in India has become stricter after the introduction of the Online Gaming Act, 2025, which continues to influence regulations in 2026. Real money online gaming platforms that involve betting or wagering, including sites like Stake.com, face nationwide restrictions.
Payments to such platforms through UPI, bank transfers, and cards may also be blocked or limited by financial institutions. At the same time, the law allows esports competitions, skill based games, and free to play online games to operate legally under approved guidelines.
In this blog, we explain how the Online Gaming Act impacts Stake.com and whether players in India can still access the platform in 2026.
Is Stake Banned in India: The Latest Update
Yes, Stake is now banned in India under the Online Gaming Act, 2025, which has become law after receiving Presidential assent. The Act enforces a nationwide ban on all money-based online games, including both gambling and skill-based contests.
Since Stake is a real-money betting and casino platform, it falls directly under this ban. The law also blocks payments through banks, UPI, and cards, which means Indian users cannot legally deposit or withdraw money on Stake.
Key Points:
- The Online Gaming Act, 2025 bans all money-based gaming across India.
- Stake, being a betting platform, is now illegal to use in India.
- Ads, promotions, and sponsorships for Stake are also banned.
- Accessing Stake through offshore sites or VPNs is still risky and unlawful.
Bottom line: Stake, along with other betting and casino apps, is officially banned in India under the new law. Players should avoid such platforms and only use legal, free-to-play alternatives.
Is Stake Legal In India?
No. With the Online Gaming Act, 2025 now in force, Stake is banned across India. Earlier, the rules varied by state — some states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had strict bans, while others did not directly regulate offshore platforms like Stake. That grey area no longer exists.
The new law enforces a nationwide ban on all money-based online games, including betting and casino apps, and blocks payments through banks, UPI, and cards. Esports and free-to-play games remain legal, but real-money platforms like Stake are now prohibited everywhere in India.
The second slide of the same post showed a screenshot of Stake’s official handle and how the user could not access it due to the account not being available in India.
Summing up the reality of betting apps like Stake in India, some users can easily access everything related to them; others cannot.
Individual states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana recently made moves to ban all forms of real money and online gambling.
Even states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu tried to introduce similar bans on online gambling and betting sites but were struck down by the high court as the move was deemed unconstitutional.
Why Is Stake Not Working In India?
If you currently reside in Telangana or Andhra Pradesh, you won’t be able to access Stake as it is banned by state law.
If you do not live in the states mentioned above and still cannot use Stake, then in that case, it is best to check for the new laws that your state just passed on the betting and gambling app to make sure that the app is not banned.
Alternatively, if there is no such law restricting online betting and casino platforms like Stake, you can try accessing its official mirror website, ‘stake.bet.’
What Countries Is Stake Illegal In?
With stricter gambling regulations worldwide, Stake is restricted in several countries. As of 2026, the platform is illegal in the following regions, including India, where the new Online Gaming Act, 2025 bans all real-money online gaming.
| Region | Restricted Countries |
|---|---|
| North America | USA (exceptions for residents of New Jersey) |
| South America | Colombia, Cuba, Curaçao |
| Africa | Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Libya, Sudan, South Sudan, Zimbabwe |
| Europe | Austria, Belgium, Belarus, UK, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland |
| Middle East | Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Syria |
| Asia | India, Pakistan, North Korea |
| Australasia | Australia |
How To Use Stake In India (If It Is Legal In Your Country)
If you are not a resident of a restricted state in India, you can follow the steps below and use Stake.
Step 1: Create an account on the Stake website (If it is not banned in your state)
Step 2: Verify your identity through KYC. Your residence, date of birth, and address will be verified during the sign-up process. You will also be required to upload a government-issued photo ID, such as a passport and an accepted address document.
Step 3: Deposit funds using cryptocurrencies like Ethereum or Bitcoin, or you can use fiat options like UPI or Netbanking.
Step 4: You can now start betting on sports bettings or various casino games.
Some users are facing trouble accessing the Stake.com site in India. And the reason for this, indeed, cannot be known. However, some Reddit users have found a workaround by accessing the mirror site ‘stake.bet’.
Check the screenshot attached below.
You can access the Reddit post here and check it for more related comments.
Can You Use A VPN To Join Stake If It Is Not Available At Your Location?
You cannot use a VPN to access stake if it is unavailable in your region.
According to Stake’s terms and conditions, if you use a VPN to circumvent your real location, Stake can permanently deactivate or suspend your account.
This means Stake will forfeit any past deposits made to your account or any winnings received from the platform.
I have seen many comments on social media sites where people use VPNs to access Stake despite being unavailable in their regions. You can find the original post here.
You must do your research before registering on any betting or casino platform and not follow any blind advice from random social media comments.
Can You Use Stake in India After the Ban?
No. With the Online Gaming Act, 2025, Stake is banned across India. This means you cannot legally create an account, deposit money, or use mirror sites like stake.bet.
Some users may still try to access Stake using VPNs, but this is risky and against Stake’s own terms. If detected, your account can be suspended, and any deposits or winnings may be forfeited.Bottom line: Stake is no longer accessible in India, and using VPNs or mirror sites does not make it legal. Players should avoid these methods and instead stick to legal, free-to-play gaming platforms.
A Brief Overview Of The Indian Online Gambling Laws
Gambling in India has long been shaped by historical and cultural factors. Traditionally, the only forms legally permitted were horse racing, lotteries, and rummy.
Earlier laws like the The Gaming Act of 1845 and the Betting Act of 1853, enacted during British rule, did not consider modern online platforms. After independence, some states continued with these old laws, while others drafted their own. The Information Technology Act, 2000 also failed to address online gambling, leaving a gap in regulation for many years.
That gap has now been closed with the passing of the Online Gaming Act, 2025, which bans all money-based online gaming across India. The Act prohibits real-money gambling apps, blocks payments through banks and UPI, and makes advertising such platforms illegal. At the same time, it clearly recognizes esports and free-to-play gaming as legal activities.
This law has brought long-awaited clarity, replacing decades of confusion around online betting in India.
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Conclusion: Stake Is Now Banned Under the Online Gaming Act, 2025!
The legality of Stake.com in India is no longer a state-level issue. With the Online Gaming Act, 2025 now in force, Stake is officially banned nationwide, alongside all other real-money gaming platforms. The law prohibits deposits, withdrawals, and promotions for such apps, while recognizing esports and free-to-play gaming as legal.
This means players in every state, not just Andhra Pradesh or Telangana, are restricted from using Stake. Attempting to bypass the ban with VPNs or mirror sites is both risky and unlawful, as accounts can be frozen and winnings forfeited.
The bottom line: Stake is no longer legal in India. The safest choice is to avoid such platforms altogether and stick to legal, free-to-play alternatives that comply with the Online Gaming Act, 2025.