Online Betting India

What is Online Betting?

Online betting has been around as long as the internet itself in countries such as the UK, Ireland and Malta.

Betting companies realized that the opportunity to offer betting products online opened up a whole new world to themselves and their customers.

Rather than customers having to make their way to a betting shop or bricks-and-mortar Casino, they could gamble wherever they were as long as they had an account, access to the internet and money in their account to bet with.

Online Betting Site Advantages

Casino and poker players can bet 24 hours a day. Or at least in the case of Poker, they can play as long as there are other players available to give them a game.

In the case of sports, there’s always a football match, tennis game or cricket match going on in the world somewhere.

Online Betting in India

Despite India’s historical obsession with betting on cricket, the wide availability of the internet and the heavy use of smartphones, it took time for online betting in India to be embraced compared to other countries.

Gambling in India is dictated by The Public Gambling Act of 1867, which prohibits most forms of gambling. But because it was written long, long before the invention of the internet, online betting wasn’t covered by it.

So essentially, online betting in India is a ‘grey area’ and the last few years has seen Indian betting companies and non-Indian ones welcoming Indian customers to their site.

It’s not ‘legal’ as such, but it’s also not illegal to do it so any Indian customer can have an online account.

Many have felt that the illegal Indian bookmaking industry has led to crime, corruption and money laundering and that online betting is a far better alternative.

It’s also true that any online betting site that accepts Indian customers has to pay tax to the Indian government, providing a valuable source of revenue.

Is Online Betting in India Legal?

What a question! The short answer is…it depends. Online betting laws technically say it is not illegal. The Public Gaming Act of 1867 doesn’t specifically mention online betting – for obvious reasons! So in that sense, it is a loophole that makes it not illegal.

However, only websites operated outside of India are legal. That’s why there are so many offshore legal sites for online betting in India.

If you’re living in Sikkim though, you are in luck. This is the only state in India that has completely legalised and regulated online betting. True heroes to the cause!

State Laws

The legality of online betting in India is determined on a state level. That means each state can choose to regulate betting as they please, or follow the Public Gambling Act of 1867. Many states have chosen to self-govern though. Here is what the legality of online betting is like in the top 5 states for visitors to Bet India:

• Telangana – All forms of gambling are illegal here under the Telangana Gaming Act 2017.
• Karnataka – Playing games of chance is illegal both online and offline under the Karnataka Police Act of 1963.
• Maharashtra – Lottery and horse racing are completely legal here. Online betting is a grey area.
• Uttar Pradesh – Betting house and other forms of physical gambling is illegal here. Online betting is perfectly fine!
• Andhra Pradesh – All forms of gambling are illegal here under the Andhra Pradesh Gaming (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Online Betting Site Reviews

We take several factors into account when reviewing a bookmaker. However, if you are experienced you’ll know that online betting in India is basically the same across all of the top betting sites, therefore, it can be a matter of personal taste.

We even have a hard time pinning it down to just one online betting site! In fact, we have accounts with all of the websites that are reviewed here. What suits you best depends, really.

It comes down to what kind of player you are. Ask yourself the following before choosing an online betting site in India:

• What sports do you want to bet on?
• Are competitive odds more important than other features?
• Do you want live streaming of matches?
• Are you more into betting on mobile or desktop?
• Do you want to play casino games too?
• Are you interested in bonuses and promotions?

So, yeah – as you can see, there are a lot of things to take into consideration when choosing a betting site.

How We Review Online Betting Sites

In the end, you’re the one who is going to enjoy the betting odds and the overall betting experience. So, we have chosen to keep our personal opinions out of the reviews.

Our online betting reviews are therefore mainly about more practical aspects, especially those that are easy to measure.

Take a look below, we’ve condensed our shared knowledge into bite-sized “factors of excellence” that you can use to your advantage!

1. PAYMENT METHODS

   The first thing we look for when comparing online betting sites in India is the availability of local payment methods. Any betting site that has the likes of Paytm and UPI will always be ranked higher.

   Websites that have low minimum deposits and withdrawals are also held in higher regard as they cater to casual bettors.

2. WITHDRAWALS

   This one’s a big one. You should be able to withdraw your winnings as fast as possible. We always strive to rate the instant withdrawal betting sites above any of the slower sites.

   The account verification process also needs to be very easy to understand and quick to complete so you can get down to enjoying your winnings even faster.

3. VARIETY OF GAMES

   We always check the variety of leagues and international games available for online betting in India. Those sites that cater specifically to India should always have more than the IPL and the Indian internationals. For example, websites like Pure Win that give odds on first-class competitions, like the Ranji Trophy, are rated higher. Even better if the sites also focus on domestic leagues like the Telangana T20 League or the Tamil Nadu Premier League.

   We also keep in mind the variety of other games available like casino and live casino games. Some websites like 7JP.com will focus on one or the other, so we try and find sites that have a good balance.

4. THE ODDS

   Having a big selection of cricket games is one thing, but having competitive odds is what really matters. The better the betting exchange and the odds, the more you will get when you win.

   We will always only include online betting websites that have the highest odds. This is why you will almost always see Betway and Parimatch in the cricket predictions that we provide.

5. CUSTOMER SUPPORT

   You can tell a lot about the popular betting sites from their customer service representatives. When we contact them, we want to find knowledgeable support agents with fluency in either English or Hindi.

   Customer service options with 24-hour availability, fast response times and a variety of different methods like live chat, email & phone are a big part of our rankings.

6. SECURITY AND LICENSE

   Trust and safety are so important for online betting in India. Especially when there are so many unlicensed and unsafe websites out there. We only review sites that are regulated and licensed by a third-party gambling authority such as those found in Malta or Curaçao.

   You can be guaranteed that any licensed betting site is completely safe, secure and legal to bet at. If it’s not regulated by a relevant licence provider, we don’t go any further. It’s simply not safe to place bets on.

7. PROMOTIONS

   Promotions for online betting in India are mostly overlooked by players – but this shouldn’t be the case! We always check out the range of promotions that betting sites have.

   We give a higher rating to sites that have easy-to-understand promotions, or ones that are simply just a better use of your time to claim. Sites like Pure Win and Betway have excellent promotions where you can get free bets to place.

8. RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING

   Last, but certainly not least, is the responsible gambling efforts that the best betting sites go to to protect players from problem gambling. Any site that puts a lot of effort into providing self-exclusion tools or resources for gambling-related issues will all be highly regarded by us at Bet India.

Best Online Betting Apps

Let’s be honest here, it’s all well and good when online betting sites offer a super sleek website that looks amazing on a laptop. But, honestly, think about it – when was the last time you really used your PC for anything other than work?

You want a mobile version so you can enjoy the leading cricket betting sites in India, don’t you?

Mobile is the future, in fact, there’s a 75% chance that you’re reading this on mobile right now.

I like those odds.

It’s extremely important that online betting sites are able to keep up with the trend by providing the best apps and mobile betting experience possible.

So, let’s break it down and round it off by showing you where to download the best online betting apps in India.

Online Betting Features

There is a lot more to online betting than simply placing a bet! This is why it’s a much more enriching experience when enjoyed responsibly than betting offline. There are 3 main features listed below that the best betting sites will have for Indian players.

Remember though! You will rarely find all of these in one place. Many sites will only have 2 of these things, so, depending on what you’re looking for, you can mix and match where you bet.

Live Betting

Live betting is the best thing about betting online in India. To put it simply, it allows you to place a bet in real-time as a game is being played. That means you can potentially get much better odds than if you were to place a bet before the game started.

Some websites will also offer you detailed match statistics and an analysis of the data too. These are being updated each second of the game so you can be more strategic in your live betting.

You can even find some betting sites that offer commentary, and others will offer a virtual version of the game as it plays out.

This is the most exciting way to place a bet!

If you’re looking to get the most out of betting in the moment, then you should check out Betway and 10CRIC for the best live betting experience.

Live Streaming

This is a real treat! Only the best online betting sites will allow you to watch the game live from their platform. How cool is that?

This means that you can have a one-stop place for your bets and your entertainment. Imagine how much easier it will be if you can watch the game and place your live bets at the same time on the same app.

This is a pretty rare feature to find in online betting sites so if this is something you want to have, then you may need to do some research.

It’s rare that you will find this – but Pure Win and offer this free of charge! Betway also has it but you will need to place a bet over a certain amount before you can access it.

Betting Exchange

A betting exchange is a rare feature, but it’s a great added service at online betting sites. It allows you to bet against other players instead of the bookmaker.

It is a very exciting concept for betting sites to have!

Why Online Betting Sites are Better than Agents!

The Internet has opened up new opportunities for online betting in India. You no longer have to chase down shady betting agents in WhatsApp groups to pitch your game and then have the fear of getting scammed. Today, all you have to do is just sign up for an account at betting sites in India like 10CRIC or Betway – all done with your Android or iPhone from the comfort of your home.

The greatest thing about Indian betting sites is the convenience they offer! No matter where you are, you can place a bet on your favourite game with a few simple button presses.

Online betting has also opened up to completely new types of bets than just betting on final results. With today’s modern bookmakers, the possibilities are almost endless with live odds and live betting.

In other words, betting websites have no restrictions, at least when you play on the very best sites listed found in our list!