The very first or basic act of Gambling was formed around 150 years ago under the British Raj – The Public Gambling Act of 1867. Now, to know if Poker is legal in India we have to begin from the start. So, you see each state has its own set of rules to deal with these circumstances. Goa, Daman, Sikkim and Nagaland have made gambling legal in their jurisdiction whereas there are a few states which have made horse racing and lottery legal in their jurisdiction. However, since gambling is a state subject, the different state has a different say on this.
As per the Supreme Court, any game whose core function is based on a chance is illegal while a game that requires skill is not.
Online Poker in India is a controversial topic.
