How to Start a Snooker Club in India: Cost, Licence & Profit
The honest version, with numbers. What a club really costs to open in 2026, which licences you actually need, and what a realistic month looks like once you're running.
Quick answer
A 4-table snooker club in India typically costs ₹15–30 lakh to open and needs 1,800–2,200 sq ft. You'll need Shop & Establishment registration, a municipal trade licence, and police permission under your state's public amusement rules. A well-run 6-table club at 35% occupancy clears roughly ₹50,000–70,000 profit per month, with break-even on the investment in 2–4 years. Details — and where those numbers come from — below.
What It Costs to Open (4-Table Club, 2026)
Typical market ranges for a tier-2 city. Metro rents and premium fit-outs push the totals up; a leaner 3-table setup in a smaller town comes in under the low end.
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Snooker tables (12ft club-grade, ₹1.2–2.5 lakh each × 4) | ₹5 – 10 lakh |
| Cues, balls, scoreboards, table covers, accessories | ₹0.5 – 1 lakh |
| Interior fit-out: flooring, lighting, AC, seating, paint | ₹3 – 8 lakh |
| Rent deposit (typically 3–6 months) | ₹2 – 6 lakh |
| Canteen setup: counter, fridge, equipment, opening stock | ₹0.5 – 1.5 lakh |
| CCTV, Wi-Fi, billing & booking software | ₹0.3 – 0.6 lakh |
| Licences, registrations & professional fees | ₹0.2 – 0.75 lakh |
| Working capital (first 3 months of running costs) | ₹3 – 5 lakh |
| Total — 4-table club | ₹15 – 30 lakh |
Figures are typical 2026 market ranges compiled from public manufacturer listings and club owner reports. A 6–8 table metro club runs ₹30–50 lakh. Get written quotes before committing.
How Much Space You Need
A full-size 12ft table needs about 22 × 16 ft — the table plus full cueing room on every side — call it 350 sq ft per table. Add a counter, seating for waiting players, and a small canteen, and the working rule is:
- 4 tables: 1,800–2,200 sq ft
- 6 tables: ~2,800 sq ft
- Ground floor or a building with a service lift matters — a slate-bed table weighs over a tonne and arrives in pieces.
- Rent discipline: if monthly rent exceeds what 30% table occupancy would earn, the location will eat your profit. Walk away.
Licences You Actually Need
Snooker clubs count as "places of public amusement" in most states, which adds a police-permission step that surprises many first-time owners. Start this paperwork before the fit-out, not after.
1. Shop & Establishment registration
Mandatory for any commercial premises with staff. Issued by your state's labour department, usually online. Needed before you can legally employ markers and counter staff.
2. Municipal trade licence
Issued by your municipal corporation for running a games/amusement business at the premises. Renewal is typically annual.
3. Police permission (Place of Public Amusement)
Most states require police permission for billiards and snooker parlours under their public amusement rules (for example, Maharashtra's Rules for Licensing and Controlling Places of Public Amusement, 1960). Requirements and fees vary by state and city — visit your local police station early, because this is the approval that most often delays openings.
4. GST registration
Required once turnover crosses the threshold (₹20 lakh for services in most states), and useful earlier if you want input credit on tables and fit-out.
5. FSSAI basic registration
Required if your canteen serves any food or beverages — which it should, because the canteen is often 25–35% of a club's revenue.
6. Fire NOC + music licence (situational)
A fire NOC applies above certain floor areas and occupancy — check your city's rules. If you play recorded music, a PPL/Novex licence technically applies; many clubs miss this.
This is general guidance, not legal advice — requirements differ by state and city. Budget ₹20,000–75,000 all-in including professional fees, and confirm specifics with your municipal corporation and local police station.
A Realistic Month: 6-Table Club Example
Tier-2 city, ₹200/hour average rate, 14 open hours a day, 35% table occupancy — a fair target for a club that's 6–12 months old.
Revenue
- Table revenue: 6 tables × 14 open hours × 35% occupancy × ₹200/hour₹1,75,000
- Canteen sales (tea, snacks, soft drinks at ~40% margin)₹55,000
- Memberships & tournament entries₹15,000
Expenses
- Rent (≈2,800 sq ft, tier-2 city)₹75,000
- Staff: 3 × ₹15,000 (markers + counter)₹45,000
- Electricity (AC-heavy) & utilities₹25,000
- Cloth wear, tips, maintenance (amortised)₹10,000
- Software, internet, misc.₹8,000
Monthly profit in this example
≈ ₹82,000
Push occupancy to 45–50% with off-peak offers and online booking and the same club clears ₹1.2–1.5 lakh. Let occupancy sit at 20% and it barely breaks even — occupancy is the whole game. That's why the most useful read after this one is our revenue optimization guide.
10-Step Launch Checklist
- 1Survey the area: count existing clubs within 3 km, note their rates, peak hours, and what players complain about.
- 2Lock the space: ~350 sq ft per 12ft table. A 4-table club needs 1,800–2,200 sq ft including seating, counter, and canteen.
- 3Start licence paperwork immediately — police permission has the longest lead time.
- 4Order tables early: club-grade 12ft tables often have 3–6 week delivery and installation lead times.
- 5Fit out for comfort: lighting directly over each table, AC sized for the hall, seating for waiting players.
- 6Hire and train staff: at minimum 2 markers and 1 counter person for a 12–14 hour day.
- 7Set pricing: a base hourly rate (₹150–250 typical), a peak-hour rate, and member pricing.
- 8Set up billing and booking software before opening day — manual registers leak money from day one.
- 9Soft-launch for a week: free or discounted play for feedback, fix problems before promoting.
- 10Go loud: Google Business Profile, Instagram reels, and an online booking link your customers can share.
Starting a Snooker Club — Common Questions
Is a snooker club business profitable in India?
Yes, when run well. A 6-table club at around 35% table occupancy typically clears ₹50,000–70,000 per month in profit, and well-located clubs running 45–50% occupancy with a strong canteen can cross ₹1 lakh per month. The clubs that struggle usually fail on occupancy (empty afternoons), billing leakage from manual registers, or rent that's too high for their pricing.
How much investment is needed to start a snooker club in India?
Typically ₹15–30 lakh for a 4-table club in a tier-2 city, including tables, fit-out, deposits, licences, and three months of working capital. A larger 6–8 table club in a metro can need ₹30–50 lakh. The two biggest line items are the tables themselves (₹1.2–2.5 lakh each for club-grade 12ft tables) and interior fit-out.
What licences are required for a snooker club in India?
Typically: Shop & Establishment registration, a municipal trade licence, police permission under your state's public amusement rules, GST registration (above threshold), FSSAI basic registration if the canteen serves food, and in some buildings a fire NOC. Requirements vary by state and city — confirm with your municipal corporation and local police station before signing a lease.
How much does a snooker table cost in India?
Club-grade 12ft × 6ft tables typically cost ₹1.2–2.5 lakh each including accessories, from manufacturers in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore. Premium tournament tables can reach ₹5 lakh. Budget tables below ₹1 lakh exist but tend to cost more in cloth and cushion maintenance within a couple of years.
How much space does a snooker club need?
Plan roughly 350 sq ft per 12ft table — the table itself plus full cueing room on all sides (about 22 × 16 ft). A 4-table club needs 1,800–2,200 sq ft once you add seating, a counter, and a small canteen; 6 tables need around 2,800 sq ft.
How much profit does a snooker club make per month?
A realistic range for a well-run 4–8 table Indian club is ₹50,000 to ₹1.5 lakh per month after expenses, driven mainly by table occupancy, peak-hour pricing, and canteen attach rate. Break-even on the initial investment typically takes 2–4 years.
What makes the difference between a profitable club and a failing one?
Four things show up consistently: filling off-peak hours (memberships, student offers), charging properly for peak hours, capturing every playing minute and canteen item on the bill instead of a paper register, and reducing no-shows with online booking. Operations software handles the last three — see our revenue optimization guide for the strategies clubs use.