Best betting sites in India
From a sporting perspective, India is known for one of the best domestic cricket competitions and a national team that has registered a lot of great results in this sport. However, when talking about betting sites in India, just like with any federated country, the laws and landscape are not exactly straightforward. Despite betting being ruled as illegal at a national level, there are no clear laws to support this claim and online betting sites in India are offering their services to punters as the only laws in place date back to the colonial era. This sets the perfect landscape for betting sites and India is a market that enjoys plenty of attention from all the big brands in the industry. Even though participation in online betting is lower compared to other nations, India’s huge population makes the gambling market overall revenue to be estimated at $1.2 billion for 2022.
Top bookmakers in India
How Betting Takes Place in India
Talking about online legal betting sites in India is quite a stretch since the only laws about gambling date back to 1867. This is the year when the Public Gaming Act was issued by the British Raj and, of course, it couldn’t possibly include anything about online gambling. So, without any further steps taken by the authorities to clear the air, the situation remains confusing. Further confusion was added by the government when, instead of updating the laws, they gave full legislative powers regarding online betting in India to every state in part. Even after the decision, there were no significant initiatives from any of the states to regulate the online betting landscape.
Instead, the government took a restrictive approach when the Technology Act of 2000 was passed. It gave the government the right to block foreign websites but it did not specify the grounds for blocking them. The top betting sites in India were targeted by even more restrictions when the Payment and Settlement Act of 2008 was issued. This authorized the Reserve Bank of India to have control over transactions towards bookies. This is also the reason why most wallets can’t be topped up from an Indian bank account or card. With all the confusion, the state of Sikkim emerged as the only state to enact laws that apply specifically to online betting and gambling. Another Indian state, Nagaland, passed legislation that made skill games legal, however, the definition of skill games is not 100% clear and it seems to be referring mostly to rummy and chess.
Finally, in December 2018, the Indian MPs proposed a list of updates in regulations that are targeting the best betting sites in India. However, until today, it is not clear if any progress has been made towards regulating the online betting landscape in the country.
Things Every Betting Site in India Must Offer
Since they’re addressing the local punters, the best betting sites for India should meet a list of mandatory requirements to be better received by them. Since India is huge on cricket and badminton, bookmakers that want to be successful should offer a vibrant choice of bets on these sports and football as well. The best cricket betting sites in India should also accept Indian Rupees as the standard currency, as well as possess a Hindu website and customer support. And, on top of everything, high odds and fast payouts should be a standard service for all India betting sites.
Can Punters from India Access International Betting Sites?
Even with the Technology Act of 2000 in place, there’s no clear set of rules that operators need to follow to avoid blocking. ISPs seem to randomly cut access to the best online betting sites in India. However, if your bookmaker gets blocked, it doesn’t mean you’ll have to look for a new one. You can avoid these blocks through VPN software and some of the international bookmakers provide mirrors for their own websites. So, without a clear specification on which betting sites are legal in India, it’s better to always have a trusty VPN software installed on your computer.
What Payment Methods can I Use on Indian Betting Sites?
Despite the RBI moves to block the use of certain payment options at trusted online betting sites, India benefits of a high diversity when it comes to deposit methods. Since some cards or bank transfer apps are going to be rejected when you try to deposit at sports betting sites in India, the ewallets remain your best bet. Topping up ewallets like Neteller or Skrill from your bank account or various other sources allows you to bet online in complete anonymity and is widely available on all the fast withdrawal betting sites. Also, some of the top cricket betting sites in India offer cryptocurrency deposits for an even faster deposit and withdrawal experience.
Are Betting Exchanges Available in India?
Betting exchanges, just like all the other sports betting sites for India, can be accessed by Indian punters via VPN. The situation with betting exchanges sites in India is just as unclear as normal bookies and sometimes even worse. Betfair, the world’s biggest betting exchange, was forced to discontinue their operation in the country after receiving public outcry from the authorities.
Where Can I File a Complaint About an Indian Betting Site?
When it comes to complaints about legal betting sites, India is represented only by the state of Sikkim. Since this is the only state where online gambling is officially legal, you can address your complaint to the authorities there. Otherwise, contacting the regulatory authority for each website is the best way to go. UKGC and MGA are known as very strict regulatory bodies that take punters’ complaints seriously. Also, we are here to make your voice heard in case you run into any sort of trouble with the online bookmakers in India.
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