If you are wondering where to bet safely in India, take a look at our chart below. It includes the most reputable and reliable online betting sites. Compare their terms and choose the best one for your play.
Since mobile smart devices and relatively affordable mobile data packages became a commonly accepted part of Indian lifestyle in aspects such as social networking, communications, and finances it also opened a most convenient access channel to the country’s sports betting enthusiasts popular form of online entertainment. In response, an increasing number of the world’s foremost international bookmakers started accepting rupees for funding online sportsbook accounts, we discuss some of the more popular brands below.
10CRIC
Without a doubt, 10CRIC is one of the best betting sites in India. Furthermore, this brand exclusively focuses on this country and its players. It’s no surprise that when you load the platform, it automatically opens the cricket betting section. The variety of cricket leagues, markets and betting options is splendid. In addition, 10CRIC offers extremely attractive odds and this applies not only to the cricket games but to almost all the disciplines in the sportsbook.
You will find the essential betting features available and some exclusive sports bonuses for new and loyal players. The casino section is impressive as well. Overall, 10CRIC is one of the best choices Indian players can make.
- Advantages:
- Great Bonus Program
- Excellent bonus terms and conditions
- Superb cricket section
- Exciting casino
- Disadvantages:
- No live streaming
Parimatch
Everyone knows that Indians are huge fans and almost perfect players of cricket. Our researches, however, show that Kabaddi is nearly as popular as cricket. And if you are among the Kabaddi admirers who love to bet on this discipline, then Parimatch is just the right choice for you. This platform offers a variety of Kabaddi bets and an entire pack of India’s most beloved sports to wager on. It’s also admirable that Parimatch has ensured to translate its website into several Indian dialects.
- Pros:
- Amazing welcome offers
- Plenty Kabaddi events
- Many casino suggestions
- Active mobile apps
- Cons:
- No poker section
Betway
Let’s talk about that Betway offers India’s local punters over different sports to bet on covered by a comprehensive selection of betting markets and gambling products. Primarily it provides a full-service sports betting platform so packed with user-friendly features and navigational aids it is hard to beat for punters at all experience levels but especially appealing to beginners.
22Bet
By delivering 50 different sports 22Bet features one of the online world’s largest selections of sports to bet on all covered by an equally impressive range of betting markets and options. Its already remarkable sportsbook uplifts the user betting experience by including an extensive collection of betting products including options such as strategic cash-out, bet edit, live-streamed video feeds of events and matches and a bet slip containing an easy bet builder.
- Advantages:
- Multi-view live betting section
- Great design
- Vas variety of sports
- Many betting markets
- Disadvantages:
- Slow payments
How India’s Laws Affect The Country’s Online Betting Industry
Gambling forms an intricate part of India’s culture, with its history dating back over three millennia. Its presence has become a persistent part of the cultural landscape, despite an abundance of religious and moral denunciations from the country’s spiritual and political leaders. As a nation, Indians remain avid gamblers who find fundamental joy in wagering, as of late their betting focus centred mainly around the local and international cricket arenas. Current estimates show 48% of all Indian adult males engage in placing a wager at least once a month, with 30% of males under 25 admit holding an active online poker account.
That leaves India’s state with a problem since its views remain comparatively conservative when measured against the increasingly positive stance towards gambling adopted by many of the world’s governments. As of late, despite and counter to the extremely high levels of popularity, this entertainment format is commonly enjoyed amongst its citizens.
On a positive note, however, we must say over the past three years, the country has taken some significant steps toward liberalising its licensing system and its supportive structures. The Republic of India consists of 29 states as well as seven union territories governed under a constitutional parliament. Each state and two of the union territories are individually self-governed by elected legislatures, while the central government rules the five remaining union territories directly.
Part of the problem surrounding the regulation of online gambling and the updating of the relevant laws about it lies with the fact that the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution explicitly gives each state the right to create its legislative policies related to betting and gambling. In a country as diverse in religion, cultures, and language as India, these constitutional rights leave one with a tiny inkling what a nightmare the variance in gambling laws between states must be.
To date, only Sikkim and Goa legalised numerous forms of gambling, followed by thirteen states that authorized only the lottery. Further adding to the problem that prevents effective regulation of India’s online gambling sector is the country’s primary legislative document, still drawn up under British rule. It dates back 145 years ago to 1867. Driving the final nail home in the coffin that is regulating online gambling in India is a section of this archaic law that states, “in the absence of alternate laws against gambling, wagering on such games of skill is considered legal”.
Is Online Betting Legal in India?
Hampered by an incomplete law-set regulating gambling in India, it places the country squarely in the same position as many other governments across the world today. While many consider the country’s laws that supposedly regulate India’s online gambling a legal grey area, it is, in fact, anything but, in reality, the law is quite clear on this. Local gambling law makes no provision for dealing with any form of online gambling whatsoever. In the absence of a law prohibiting an action that action, one must then consider the action legal.
India bans gambling within most of its states. However, a few states allow gambling inside casinos located on floating premises and inside several of the 5-star hotels. Aside from these licenced land-based casinos operating in compliance with local regulations, the outdated, incomplete gambling act leaves local law unable to control or prohibit online gambling. As a result, many of the world’s leading online entertainment brands consider the Indian betting and casino industry a prime market worth exploring and investing in, yet at the moment it remains relatively untapped.
Are there restrictions on Indian players by some bookmakers?
While India’s land-based gambling sector, subject to local regulation, may impose onerous restrictions on the country’s local players, the only measures of restraint playing and betting at online venues may at times pose access and funding issues.
This issue is entirely attributable to a government-imposed restraint on credit card transactions with online casinos and bookmakers enforced by local banking institutions. While in a similar vein, local ISPs continue to block India’s citizens from accessing international online casino and sportsbook venues.
Gambling Facts at a Glance
The Indian rupee is India’s official currency, and its history traces back the 6th century BCE with its roots deep in ancient India. Along with the Lydian staters and Chinese wen, Ancient India became one of the earliest regions in the world to issue coins. In 2010, the country adopted the new rupee, and while the rupee subdivides into 100 paise, by 2019 the lowest coin denomination has a value of 1 rupee.
With a population of over 1.3 billion, India is the world’s second-most populous country coming in behind China by a slender margin. It also remains the world’s most populous democracy.
With over 185 million active gamblers, India represents one of the world most significant markets in online gaming.
India fields no central regulatory authority responsible for the control and enforcement of law within its borders. Instead, it places each state in control of its gambling destiny.
The states of Sikkim and Goa issue licences to specific land-based casino venues located in approved 5-star resort-hotels and will only accept licensing for the following products: Casino gaming – slots & casino table games, Poker, Bingo, Betting – sports/horse racing, fantasy sports, Lotteries. 13 other states approved licences for Lotteries. India’s legislation makes no provision for the licencing of any form of online gaming.
Two states, Sikkim and Goa, enacted laws legalising licences for land-based operators of gambling venues inclusive of casinos, bookmaking/sports betting, poker, and lotteries, followed by thirteen other states that legalised lotteries.
How to Choose the Right Online Betting Site
There exists no reason for India’s a great many sports betting enthusiasts residing in regions that do not allow easy access to one of the country’s licenced land-based betting venues to miss any opportunity for placing a profitable wager.
Since the country’s laws do not explicitly forbid them from joining up with one or more of the great international brands that accept punters from India and start placing their bets online without having to run the risk of falling foul of the law.
While this certainly is an excellent idea, punters new to the online betting scene should consider a few essential factors before choosing and making a financial commitment at a new venue. That will serve to highlight some of the factors most important to have excellent sports betting experience and assist them with identifying some of the potential pitfalls along their way.
- do your chosen shortlisted brands possess an established reputation for operating a completely safe, secure, fair, and honest business?
- does your list of potentials all undergo regular audits performed by one of the independent testing firms such as eCOGRA, BMM Testlabs, or iTech Labs to certify the fairness of the games’ RNG?
- do they hold a valid operator’s licence from a reputable licencing body such as MGA, Alderney, or the GGA, allowing them to operate internationally legally?
- do they offer 24/7 live chat access to their customer support team, do they have a good range of essential betting tools such as a bet edit feature, Cash out, live-streamed video of live events?
- in addition to a massive range of sports do they feature a good range of betting markets, live in-play betting and a broad range of internationally popular, convenient banking methods?
Bonuses for Indian Players
Currently, the Indian online sports betting market served by many of the industry’s best international sports betting providers, including the famous brands discussed above. That leaves India’s residents with free access to some of the very best promotional bonuses and special offers available in online sports entertainment.
The available selection includes new sign-up welcoming offers of generous first-bet, lost first-bet, and first-deposit percentage matching bonuses paid as Free Bets as well as Cash. While simultaneously catering continually for its existing punters via promotional offers ranging from a day, weekly, and monthly percentage matching deposit reload bonuses, daily special offers, enhanced prices, enhanced ACCAs, price boosts, and a multitude of other innovative value-adding bonuses mostly paid in Free bets and cashback offers.
Most Popular Sports to Bet on in India
While sports betting in India shares many common traits with sports betting markets throughout the rest of the online world, there is one feature utterly unique to India, and that is the way in which cricket completely dominates the local sports betting market. According to a recent report from the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS), India’s online sports betting market could be worth more than US$130 billion per annum and wagering on cricket, especially the Indian Premier League (IPL) contributing a turnover of US$50 million in wagers per IPL match. Other sports popular with India’s population is hockey, although it might face some contention since it claims it is the country’s national sport. Here is the rest in order of their popularity:
- Horse racing, which is also pretty much synonymous with the Indian gambling scenery
- Football, the wold’s most-watched sport
Are Online Casinos Popular in India?
One of the undeniable facts of gambling around the world is the unmatched popularity of online casino games. Immaterial of each person’s personally preferred form of online sports betting, if they regularly gamble online, they will at some point of the day invariably end up relaxing and enjoying themselves at one of the online world’s great casinos. If it’s an experienced sports-bettor from India, then probably 22bet’s impressive online casino section.
Due to a lack of online regulation India’s growing, flourishing economy misses out on an online casino gambling industry estimated to currently generate approximately US$1.5 billion per annum mainly from its fast-growing, tech-savvy middle-class that is projected to grow to 583 million people by 2025 which would by then create in excess of US$5 billion in annual gambling revenues.
Trivia/Did you know that…
- India’s legal system has never taken legal action against any residents who gamble online
- cricket generates approximately 80% of all sports betting revenues
- local banking institutions block most credit card transactions with online betting venues
- local ISPs block residents from accessing online betting venues
- Local gambling law considers rummy a game of skill, meaning India’s residents free to bet on it
Available Mobile Apps
Insofar as the quality and range of available mobile access solutions, India’s online sports betting and casino aficionados experience a situation similar the one they experience in the excellent promotional offers and bonuses made available to them. That means India’s punters have access to most of the online industry’s best mobile portals/virtual versions and sports betting apps.
Brands such as Betway, and 22Bet are daily exposed to face the fierce competition of the international arena. That ensures they always remain at the top of their game in all aspects of online sports betting. Despite enjoying positions at the top of the popularity tree, should they falter even for the shortest period of time the dynamic nature of the online entertainment market will see them take a severe knock in attendance.
As such, each mobile access method offers a complete sports betting experience highly comparable to that delivered by their full-sized websites only sporting interfaces fully customised and optimised for added mobile touchscreen functionality.
Supported Payment Methods
International bookmakers serving the needs of the Indian sports betting market all offer an unmatched range of internationally recognised and popular banking methods in answer to financing the sportsbook accounts of its local online bettors. The range of available banking brands and payment options include credit & debit cards like Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, and Visa Electron, while e-Wallets offer the likes of NETeller and Skrill, indirect payment options include PayPal.
FAQs
Can I fund my Betway account using rupees?
Yes, Betway accepts rupees for funding player accounts in India.
How old must I be to start gambling online in India?
India’s casinos vary in their age requirements some land-based venues require its patrons to be over the age of 18 while others state 21. However, online gambling venues almost universally adhere to an age restriction of 18 unless local, regional laws state otherwise.
Will any of the bookmakers you discussed above sell or reveal my details to an unauthorised third-party?
No, all these operators hold valid licences allowing them to operate in various strictly regulated EU countries. As a result, remain subject to all the regulatory requirements relating to personal data protection and security.
How good are the odds offered by the sites serving India’s market?
22Bet and Parimatch both partly built their excellent reputations and attribute their ongoing success to offering some of the best odds in the market.
Which is the best online bookmaker to join in India?
All the sportsbook brands discussed in our article above offer features and benefits that vary slightly from one another to best meet the varying needs and requirements of their respective audiences. You cannot go wrong with any of these.
As an India resident will online bookmakers still require me to verify my details?
Yes, undoubtedly since they remain subject to the same international anti-money laws wherever they operate in the world.
Final Comments
Local residents are indeed some of the luckiest sports bettors in the world. That is true considering the level of expertise and excellence of product provided by the leading online sportsbooks that continue to accept players and punters from all over India. This statement remains true despite the country’s failure to protect its citizenry from possible online exploitation. Since it is highly unlikely, they will pick-up any severe problems if they stay cautious and keep to the well-known, internationally established list of reputable online bookmakers such as 22Bet, and Betway amongst others.
