Bet365 is a popular gambling platform that serves a lot of punters across the globe. This website enables gamblers to try their luck in sports betting as well as online casino games. Since its inception, Bet365 has won the hearts of many Indian players due to its superb services.
Players who bet on this site enjoy numerous benefits such as promotions and bonuses. Besides that, this gambling company has a well-organized website that is incredibly easy to use.
The question that most Indian players ask is whether Bet365 is legal in India.
The answer to this question isn’t as clear cut as you’d hope. However, we are here to answer it in the best way possible. Before we delve into it, it is imperative that we first look at the law governing online gambling in India.
Gambling on a game of chance is prohibited in India. This renders Bet365 illegal. Nonetheless, gamblers in India can access and bet on this site without any legal implications. No one has ever been arrested or jailed for gambling online. Moreover, the Indian law on online gambling is somewhat vague.
As you can see, the legislation on online gambling is still a grey area that could use some clarity. Unfortunately, the much-needed lucidity on this issue has not been forthcoming for decades. Without further ado, let us look at the existing online gambling laws in India.
Related Reading: Is Online Betting Legal in India?
Prize Competition Act, 1955
On 22nd October 1955, the Price Competition Act was passed by the Indian government. This piece of legislation was created to regulate competitions that awarded the public prize money as winnings. The Act restricted any kind of competition, be it a crossword puzzle, missing words, alphabet or number that awarded the rightful winners a price exceeding 1000 INR.
Before this law came into force, numerous Indian states such as Bombay and Madras had similar laws. But this Act came as a replacement for the existing territorial laws on the prize competitions.
When the legislators were deliberating on this act, there was no internet. And even though this act is still in force, it wasn’t intended for online gambling or any other form of gambling. The act was to be applied to prized competitions only.
The Public Gaming Act of 1867
In 1867, the number of gambling houses in India was disconcerting. In a bid to control the rampant gambling houses, the Indian Government enacted the Public Gaming Act of 1867. Under this law, running a gambling house would attract a hefty fine amounting to ₹200. Perpetrators could also serve a 3 months jail term. Those found participating in gambling activities would have to pay a penalty amounting to ₹1000 or spend a month behind bars.
There was an amendment to the Public Gaming Act of 1867 in 1976. The changes that were made affected the wording ‘Gambling house.’ The definition of these words would then include tents, room, enclosure, vessel, place, vehicle, and so on. In short, gambling in any place within the borders of India became a punishable offense. A debate on whether this wording applies to the internet has since then ensued. What’s clear is that the law focuses on the game of skill vs. the game of chance.
As of today, this law is widely viewed as outdated. More so, when this act was enforced the internet was nonexistent. So, there are arguments that the law doesn’t apply to online gambling. This law undoubtedly prohibited all forms of gambling apart from offshore online casinos. Most of these casinos accept Indian players. What’s more, is that this law gave Indian states the power to make and enforce their own rules regarding betting. States like Sikkim have legalized online casinos.
The IT Act 2000
The IT Act was sanctioned on October 17th, 2000 by the Indian parliament. With this law, the government hoped to combat rising e-commerce and cyber crimes. The act laid out the punishment that would befall those who committed various online crimes. It didn’t ultimately ban any particular form of online gambling. That is why you’ll find online casinos are popular in India.
Gamblers can play through their computers and mobile phones.
How does Bet365 turn out to be legal in India?
Now that you are familiar with the legal landscape surrounding online casinos in India, you might wonder how Bet365 turns out to be legal. To answer your question, Bet365 is a reputable gambling site that is licensed by the Government of Gibraltar. This makes it an offshore online casino and the Indian law has no jurisdiction over offshore online casinos.
Bet365 and other notable offshore online casinos take advantage of the loopholes in Indian gambling laws and find a way to offer India citizens sports betting and popular casino games.
Indian Law vs. Local Laws
Bet365, like many other online gambling platforms are licensed elsewhere. For instance, Bet365 servers are in the UK. Therefore, this is a matter of the Indian laws Vs local laws. With India not having clear laws on online gambling, it is unable to ban or control citizens from betting on Bet365.
As much as the Indian law restricts online gambling, the law is only applicable within its borders. For example, if you are an Indian taking a vacation in Gibraltar, betting on Bet365 wouldn’t be deemed as illegal. This can be attributed to the fact that Bet365 isn’t outlawed in Gibraltar. But if you were to place a bet on the Indian soil using an Indian online gambling platform, you would be breaking the law.
Dodging the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA)
The truth is that many Indian punters play on offshore online casinos such as Bet365. What’s more, is that they make all the payments in INR. Why doesn’t the government notice this and ban them? Like we said earlier, Indian gambling laws are a bit sketchy. The betting platforms are fully aware of this situation and they have devised ways to go around it. Given that the Indian gambling market is vast and tremendously promising, Bet365 offers its services to Indian players. They can place as many bets as they like safely.
Previously, most offshore online casinos allowed Indian punters to make payments using debit and credit cards. The Indian government got wind of it and banned the use of credit and debit cards from local banks. Betting sites no longer accept these cards as that would be illegal.
Fortunately, with virtual money transfer platforms such as Skrill and Neteller, Indian punters can deposit and withdraw funds from their betting accounts safely. This is how they bypass the stringent money transfer measures put in place by the Indian government.
How to legally place a bet on Bet365
If you want to place a bet on Bet365, you must begin by opening an account with them. After successfully registering an account, make your first deposit with the preferred mode of payment. Then, claim your welcome bonus.
You can then familiarize yourself with the available sports and casino games and then proceed to place your bet. Remember, to do all this, you need to be connected to an acceptable virtual money transfer service. This could be Skrill, Neteller or EcoPayz.
Deposit and withdrawal options for Bet365 player in India
Bet365 provides various payment options for Indian players. Some of the most common ones include;
Deposits
- Neteller
- Skrill
- AstroPay Card
- EntroPay
- Credit/Debit Card
- Bank transfer
Withdrawals
- Skrill
- Neteller
- EntroPay
- Bank Transfer
Why most Indian Players love Bet365
Indian players seem to love playing on Bet365 immensely, mainly because of the convenience it offers. For instance, it provides various payment options as mentioned above and players can bet using their local currency.
Another aspect that players love about this platform is its user-friendliness. The website is impeccably organized. Players can find whichever games they want to bet on with utmost ease. Additionally, this site is home to a host of sports betting options and online casino games. Punters can find some of the best sports betting markets on Bet365 and the odds seem to be favorable.
The superb live streaming free service offered by this online gambling giant can’t be ignored. Indian players want to bet and watch various sports live. The site allows them to do so through its live stream feature.
Players are treated to generous bonuses and promotions. There is a welcome bonus for new players and other promotions for existing customers.
Bet365 uses SSL encryption technology to protect its users. This means that players’ details and funds are secure. Most importantly, Bet365 is licensed and well regulated.
What the future holds for Bet365
Some Indian states such as Sikkim have already legalized online gambling. It may not have taken off yet, but it is a clear sign that more states will legalize gambling. Making gambling legal is a global trend, and with time, a majority of Indian states will warm up to it. As Bet365 continue to build strong relationships with Indian players, the chances are that it will be one of the leading online gambling companies in India when more states legalize gambling.