Online sports betting in India is a controversial and often confusing topic. While it is illegal to place bets in India, the laws regarding online sports betting are not as clear-cut. Although it is illegal to place wagers with Indian bookmakers, many Indian players have been able to place bets with international betting sites.
This has made it possible for Indian players to enjoy sports betting without having to worry about breaking the law. Despite this, there are still a number of legal and practical issues associated with online sports betting in India that need to be considered before placing any bets.
With millions of Indians wagering on sports, India is one of the fastest-growing marketplaces for online casinos and sportsbooks. It was estimated that in 2021, more than 370 million residents wagered on significant sporting events like the Indian Premier League. The best online casinos in India will allow you to play in Indian Rupees.
If you’re unclear about the rules around online sports betting in India, stay reading because we have the information you need!
The Legality of Betting in India
Let’s start with the gambling laws that are in place. There is a central law prohibiting the operation of a public gambling house. The Public Gambling Act of 1867 governs all gambling activities on a national level, and the date alone tells us that online gambling was not considered during this time period.
Gaming is a state-regulated activity, and only Indian states have the authority to create regulations governing gambling within their borders. This means that the laws regarding local gambling vary from state to state. To date, the only states that allow for legal online betting are Goa, Sikkim and Daman.
Games of chance are prohibited in Kamataka and Maharashtra, while games of skill, like rummy or horse racing, are permitted, meaning that you can bet on famous racehorses! There is neither a law prohibiting nor allowing online betting or gambling in a few other states, such as Tamil Nadu. Therefore, engaging in internet gambling is not a crime, and doing so will not subject one to legal action.
There are also states that have forbidden all online gambling and betting. In Telangana and Andhra, all forms of gambling have been banned as of January 2020, but online gambling has still not been specifically addressed.
Sports Betting at Offshore Bookies
India does not have any geo-blocking in place, nor are there any recriminations for customers who sign up with the offshore sports books that accept Indian customers. There are some significant licensed brands operating in this space.
Most sports betting India sites also have IPL betting apps which very much appeal to cricket enthusiasts. These sites also offer exciting bonuses for sports enthusiasts whether you are playing on the site, or via the app.
Comparing Skill-Based And Games Of Chance
Gambling laws divide games into two separate categories. These have a big impact on whether they are considered legal or not. Lawmakers talk about “Games of Chance” and “Games of Skill”.
Games of skill are games where having more knowledge about it increases the player’s chances of winning. This suggests that sports betting online is unquestionably skill-based. Your odds of successfully predicting a bet increase the more you know about a specific sport, event, team, or person.
Games of chance are a category of games in which the outcome is unaffected by your skill sets, such as roulette or slot machines. There is nothing that you can do that will affect your ability to predict where the ball will land on the roulette wheel, or what symbols will be showing when the reels stop spinning.
This would lead us to determine that sports betting is a game of skill. For instance, there are few that would have predicted that the new cricket franchise, Gujarat Titans, would have won the IPL Cup by 7 wickets in 2022, on their debut tournament!
When Will Sports Betting Be Legal In India?
The legalities of online sports betting in India are a topic that is often debated, and one that is full of confusion. While it is illegal to place wagers in India, many Indian players have been able to place bets with international bookmakers, and have been able to enjoy sports betting without having to worry about breaking the law.
The question of whether online sports betting is legal in India remains slightly unclear for many Indians. It is natural to hope that as time goes on, things will become clearer. It is hoped that India’s sports betting laws would be changed in the upcoming years to make it more apparent what is permitted and what is not.
Take care when you are choosing which online casino and sports book you play out. There are many that you should be wary of. Make sure that you are playing at reputable and trustworthy sites.
The Indian youth appear to be more open-minded about a government-driven framework around the issue, which will allow for the money, whether it be traditional money or crypto such as Bitcoin, to stay within India. As to the question of when sports betting will be legal in India? Only time will tell.
Image by top10-casinosites from Pixabay (Source)
