Betting in Indiahas never been easier.
Betting in India
If you are an Indian who is interested in betting, you’ve probably wondered what options you have in India. Are there casinos? And which sports are available to bet on. Here, we seek to answer all your questions about betting in India conclusively.
Is online gambling legal in India?
The legislation surrounding online gambling in India is somewhat complex. Each state can set its own rules and regulations regarding online gambling. With that being said, no one has ever been prosecuted or imprisoned for online gambling in India. There are some guidelines and legislations that govern the gambling industry in India. The problem is that they aren’t as clear cut as you’d hope. Here is an overview of what the betting regulations in India look like as of today, or you can read our full guide entitled, is online betting legal in India.
Upon India gaining its independence in 1949, a constitution was written. This document came with a section that addressed the legality or illegality of gambling. The state governments were accorded the green right to either legalize or ban gambling activities within their borders.
In 1957, a ruling was made concerning gambling on a game of skill. This particular ruling was on horse racing. It stated that horse racing was a game of skill and people could bet on it. A decade later, a similar ruling was passed on Rummy which is a card game.
Between 1992 and 2005, 3 out of the 27 states of India legalized gambling. These states included Sikkim, Goa, and Daman. As a result of this legislation, numerous casinos were constructed.
Legislators would later pass the Central Lotteries Act that allowed all Indian states to set up lotteries. This was in 1998. The law, however, stipulated that one draw could be held in a week.
An information technology act that restricted transmitting information deemed as corruptive to the public was passed. The legislation specifically affected advertising and online gambling.
Since Indian citizens would go on and place bets on gambling sites overseas, the Payment and Settlement Act was passed in 2007. It allowed the Reserve Bank of India to come up with policies on payment processing. Payment and deposits made to overseas sites by gamblers could now be investigated and blocked.
Sikkim was the first state to legalize online betting in 2008. The progress on licensing online gambling sites in this state has been dismal.
The government instructed website hosts and internet service providers to block any websites that could encourage money laundering. These instructions were communicated through a publication. They were not only meant to crack down on money laundering activities, but also betting sites.
How to sign up and bet on sports in India
Before you sign up and bet in India, you have to first carry out due diligence on the sites available. Find one that offers the kind of sport you’d like to bet on and check whether they have a welcome bonus. Take your time to look for a site with a huge welcome bonus so that you can improve your chances of winning.
New Account Welcome Bonus Codes
Types of sports to wager in India
We know that cricket betting and horse race betting are the two most popular forms of sports betting in India but what other sports are popular to bet on?
Football is among the most popular sports in India. Its popularity may not surpass that of horse racing and cricket, but it’s an extremely exciting sport to bet on. With that being said, a lot of Indians love to catch live football matches on TV. They follow the popular leagues in the world such as the English Premier League as well as their very own Shillong Premier League.
Since football is tremendously popular across the world, it’s easy for anyone in India to find a superb site that offers football betting. Just ensure the site you pick takes on Indian players. Here are the best football betting sites in India.
When it comes to golf, you probably won’t get plenty of betting opportunities in India. This doesn’t mean that you can’t wager on golf tournaments. Most sites offer golf betting, but only on the major tournaments. All you need to do is look for a site that covers golf betting markets.
Tennis is one of the largest markets as far as betting is concerned. There are renowned tournaments such as the US Open and Wimbledon. Such competitions give bettors an incredible opportunity to cash in on their predictions.
Numerous bookmakers offer intriguing markets to Indian bettors. The only challenge they face is getting the right platform to bet on.
While football is played all week through, we can’t say the same for boxing. Boxing matches are few and spread out through the year. Once in a while, there are much-anticipated boxing bouts availed on popular betting sites. If you’d like to place a bet on any thrilling bout, you just need to check with your bookie.
If you follow cycling as a sport, then you know that it’s televised across the globe. As a bettor in India, there are plenty of online platforms that will allow you to wager on cycling competitions. It is prudent to always choose a reputable site that offers cycling markets.
You can either bet on a particular rider or a team. It is possible to bet on the riders that will come out on top in a specific cycling leg. Moreover, you can wager on the time that a rider will take to finish the race.
Competitive swimming is a worldwide sport. It is even featured in the Olympics and other renowned swimming events, including the European Championships, US Open, and Swimming World Cup. Bookies have noted that some punters are immensely interested in placing wagers on swimming. Unfortunately, you might not find opportunities to bet on swimming as often as you’d like in India.
Your preferred betting platforms will deliver swimming markets, but only when available. The best strategy is to keep checking with your favorite betting site, especially when there is a major swimming event going on.
The best way to deposit money for Indian players
As we saw earlier, you might find several hurdles while trying to fund your betting account. This can be attributed to the restrictions brought about by the law. Luckily, it is still possible to deposit money in your favourite betting platform. Below are some of the best ways to do it, or for a detailed guide, check out how to deposit on betting sites from India.
Funding your betting account through a bank transfer in India may not be the best idea. This is made difficult by the 2011 Information Technology Act. Attempting to do so may lead to a declined payment. As much as you’ll get your money back, you will be greatly inconvenienced as the reimbursement process may take up to a couple of days.
If you have to deposit money to a betting site using a bank transfer, ensure that the site you are using and the bank will not cause you problems.
Debit and credit cards are widely accepted as a legitimate way to transfer money in the world. With such a high acceptance rate, you can successfully use them to deposit money into your betting account.
When it comes to depositing money into your betting accounts, e-wallets are your best options. Why? The name of the betting site doesn’t reflect during a transaction. For example, you can deposit money in a UK betting site using Neteller. This is a reputable money transfer platform that’s recognized by the UK Financial Service Authority. What’s more, is that you can deposit the money in Indian rupees.
Skrill is yet another e-wallet platform that you can use. It is also linkable to your credit and debit cards. Furthermore, it is the cheapest way to deposit and withdraw money from your betting account. Skrill accepts the Indian rupees as well.
E-wallets will give you much-needed privacy. Besides that, these are common platforms used by many professionals in India. Programmers and freelance writers are among those who use it. Most of the Indian banks are also familiar with Skrill transactions, meaning that you won’t have any issues funding your betting account.
Read the following guides for more information, how to deposit money in Skrill in India and how to deposit money on Neteller from India.
Betting In India Frequently Asked Questions
The legislation surrounding online gambling in India is somewhat complex. Each state can set its own rules and regulations regarding online gambling. With that being said, no one has ever been prosecuted or imprisoned for online gambling in India. There are some guidelines and legislations that govern the gambling industry in India. The problem is that they aren’t as clear cut as you’d hope. Here is an overview of what the betting regulations in India look like as of today
Withdrawing money from your betting site in India depends on the betting platform you use. For reputable betting sites such as Bet365 or Betway, e-wallets are your best options. Neteller and Skrill are your best bet. They are convenient because you can opt to set your account in Indian Rupees.
You should steer clear from bank wires as they might raise a lot of questions with Indian banks when the name of a betting firm pops up on the transaction.
Read our full guide on how to withdraw money from betting sites in India.
All betting sites have an age restriction. In most cases, only those who are above 18 years are allowed to gamble. In any case, you need an identification to have a bank account or open a money transfer account. And you have to be of a certain age to get one. For most countries, you need to be 18 or 21 years to bet.
Betting on horse races is legal in India if it is bet on approved race tracks. These race tracks include the following;
Taxation is applicable in most countries, and India is no exception. But it depends on whether you are betting in an Indian casino or if you are from a state that allows sports betting and taxation has already been worked out.
If you want to place bets with casinos or poker, then you need to download software. This requirement isn’t needed for sports betting. Sports betting platforms are self-supporting. You just need to open an account, log in, deposit money, and place a bet.
However, if you opt to use an app on a tablet or a smartphone, then you’ll have to download an application. Even so, you can search for your favorite bookie on your mobile browser and bet without downloading their app.
Gambling online in India is possible. It is however not as easy as it would be in other countries due to the complex legislation. Based on the information provided above, you can place bets on your favorite sports wisely.