Where paid contests are commonly restricted
Several Indian states have public-gambling statutes that the desk's research treats as restrictive for real-money fantasy-sports contests. The most commonly cited list includes Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Odisha, Sikkim and Nagaland. Residents of these states must not register a paid account, even if the app accepts an email address.
Restrictions change. State-level public-gambling law is amended periodically and the operator's eligibility list may not reflect the most recent legal change. Treat this desk's list as a starting point, not a substitute for your own state verification.
Even in permitted states, age and identity documentation are mandatory. Where the operator is unable to verify your KYC documents against authoritative databases, paid contests are not available regardless of the state status.
Where paid contests are commonly permitted
Most other Indian states permit real-money fantasy-sports contests under the operator's published terms. The operator runs its own eligibility check at signup and may decline to onboard residents of restricted states even if the user attempts to register.
Permitted-state residents still must complete KYC before the first withdrawal. KYC failures (most often name-mismatch between PAN and bank account) are not a state restriction; they are a documentation issue.
Age requirement and identity proof
Eighteen is the floor for paid contests on the operator's published terms. Some states require twenty-one or higher for any gaming-related activity; users in those states must satisfy the higher threshold.
KYC documentation will be checked against your date of birth. Never register using someone else's identity; the operator's verification rejects mismatched names and photos, and the account will be closed.
Operators verify identity against PAN and (where applicable) Aadhaar databases. Where the database returns a different name or date of birth from the registration, KYC fails and the account is held until the mismatch is resolved.
KYC and TDS
KYC is mandatory before the first withdrawal. The documents the operator typically asks for are listed in the desk's withdrawal guide.
Winnings above the TDS threshold are reported to tax authorities. The operator deducts TDS at the published rate and issues Form 16A or an equivalent certificate. Users are responsible for declaring winnings on their income-tax return regardless of TDS deduction at source.
How to confirm your own state
Three steps to confirm your own state's status before you sign up:
1. Read the operator's published eligibility list. It is usually on the help or terms page.
2. Read your state's most recent public-gambling statute. Most state legislation is published on the state government's website and is searchable by year of amendment.
3. If your state is unclear, contact the operator's customer-care team through the verified in-app channel. The team will confirm whether the operator onboards residents of your state before you deposit.