This guide will let you know more about online betting in India. If you’re new to online betting, yet afraid about the legal status of online betting in the Asian country, we’re here to help. Although betting is illegal in India, there’s no law that cements the status of online betting. Most offshore operators use this loophole to provide their services to Indian players without any repercussions whatsoever.
In short, online betting in India can be described as legally illegal, although it’s a bit more complicated than that. The Indian gambling laws are pretty vague and unclear, so things might be confusing. Gambling is a hot topic in India and has been for years, with many experts calling on the government to regulate the legal status of betting in general and specifically online betting.
To answer your question, it is. Or, at least there’s no law that strictly prohibits it. It all depends on the states. In Tamil Nadu, for example, it is neither legal or illegal to bet online. This means that even if you place a bet, you can do it without the fear of it being a prosecutable offense.
In general, skill-based betting such as horse race betting is legal, yet betting on cricket or kabaddi is not. This, however, hasn’t stopped millions of people from India to place bets on different sports online.
The Public Gambling Act of 1867 legally banned all gambling in India during the colonial period. The Act prohibited all kinds of gambling activity and made it illegal to offer gambling services on a federal level. Of course, it didn’t make any mention of online gambling back then. However, since the Act hasn’t been changed for such a long time, it is pretty unclear.
As online gambling took India (and the rest of the world) by storm in the past decade or so, people in India have started wondering if they could gamble online. Since the law doesn’t state anything specific about online gambling or betting, it is considered legal. The government is yet to amend the law and prohibit online gambling, leaving individual states the right to decide whether they want online betting to be legal or illegal.
In Sikkim and Goa, for example, online gambling and betting are fully legal. In other states, however, online betting is a grey area. It is illegal per se, but placing a bet online won’t get you in jail, so millions of Indians love betting on sports.
The contradiction regarding gambling laws in India goes even further. Rummy and horse race betting are fully legal as they’re considered skill-based sports. This is why many punters and experts are pushing for the government to legalize all forms of sports betting. After all, why should horse race betting be legal and football betting illegal?
Since there are no repercussions at all to bet online in India, you can safely and easily place a bet at one of the many operators that offer their services in India. If you have never done it, let’s just say that online betting is pretty simple. Just pick an operator that accepts Indian players and register to start your journey.
Next, check to see if the bookie accepts Rupees as currency. The best Indian betting sites such as Betway, Bet365, and Royal India do, so they’re a good choice for starters. The selection of markets is another thing you should consider. Most Indian punters love betting on cricket and kabaddi, so it makes sense to find a bookie that offers betting on these two sports.
Make sure not to miss the bonus or promo section – most betting sites in India offer quite a generous welcome bonus that will help you get started on the right foot. Once you’re all set, all you need to do is deposit money to your account and start betting. Depositing is usually a pretty straightforward process. It involves the use of credit\debit cards or e-wallets which are the preferred option for many punters. Make a deposit in Rupees, and you’re only a click away from placing your first online bet.
Kabaddi is a wildly popular sport across India. The Vivo Pro Kabaddi League is the most popular pro-kabaddi league in India, influenced by the Indian Premier League in cricket. Thanks to the exciting matches and the increasing popularity of the league, it is added to most major betting sites nowadays.
You can bet on all the matches in the Vivo Pro Kabaddi League or place a bet on your outright favourite. Since it’s not a sport that’s popular outside of Asia, you won’t find kabaddi at many betting sites, but there are still a few that offer the sport.
Some operators might even offer extended kabaddi bets including betting on individual performances at great odds.
We already mentioned that deposits are usually done through the bookie’s Cashier page, and it’s not very different with withdrawals. Using e-wallets is still your best option since they allow faster withdrawals and possibly higher limits as well. Withdrawing money from a betting site in India is simple – if you’re having difficulties processing the request or the bookie has confusing withdrawal steps you need to take, it’s probably a scam site.
This is why it’s important to only bet at licensed operators and well-known brands. Most withdrawal requests at the best betting sites in India should be completed within 24 hours. It’s a straightforward security measure in order to prevent money laundering and fraud. Once completed, you should have your money in a few hours or a few days.
India is kind of a grey market when it comes to online betting. Gambling is illegal, but there’s no stance on online betting, which means you can bet without the fear of legal repercussions.
Football, cricket, and kabaddi are all available for you to bet on at the best betting sites that accept Indian players.
Yes, you can. Most of the betting sites focused on Indian players accept INR as currency.
You can earn free bets at almost all operators. For more information about claiming them, read the bookie’s terms and conditions.
You’ll have to decide yourself. Due to the competition, there are plenty of options on the market, each one with different odds, markets, and bonuses. Do some research by yourself and decide what suits you best.
Making money requires a lot of skill and discipline. Don’t bet if you think you’ll be a millionaire by the end of the day. Set limits for yourself and take things slow – rushing into things or chasing your losses will inevitably lead to losing all your money. Bet responsibly, not impulsively.