Sports betting has always been a popular pastime, but the arrival of online betting sites has made it easier than ever. Before, you’d need to find a retail sportsbook and, in some countries, there are rules about how these are allowed to operate. Thanks to the internet, placing sports bets is more convenient than ever, and there are far more choices over which sports and markets to bet on.
With more options and betting now safer than it’s ever been, an increasing number of people are signing up to online sportsbooks all over the world. Provided these sites are licenced, they’re safe and usually legal, depending on where you live. Betting site reviews are how Indian players can find trustworthy sites, and there’s a growing market for sports betting in India.
Is Sports Betting Legal in India?
Sports are massively popular in India, with cricket and football being some of the most popular sports for Indians to watch. 79% of Indian television viewers watched cricket at some point in 2019, with the Indian Premier League being one of the most popular events. With how many sports fans there are in the country, it’s little surprise that sports betting is also very popular.
Betting on sports is a great way to make the event even more exciting, and bettors can win real cash with successful bets. Although sports betting is popular all over the country, there is a lot of confusion over the law. The Public Gambling Act of 1867 says that betting on games of chance is illegal while betting on games of skill is legal. That would seem to suggest that sports betting is legal, although gambling houses and sportsbooks aren’t really allowed to operate in the country.
Indian gamblers instead turn to off-shore gambling sites, many of which accept Indian players. Although it’s not strictly legal, there isn’t any law against sports betting, and there are no records of any Indian bettor being prosecuted for using an off-shore sports betting site. Players simply have to make sure the site they use is safe, checking that it’s licensed by a reputable gambling authority such as Malta or the UK.
Because of the growing number of Indians interested in online sports betting, most major sports betting sites now accept Indian players as well as Indian payment methods and rupees. These sites will also usually offer odds on popular events such as the Indian Premier League and the Pro Kabaddi League too.
Which Major Events Are Available to Bet on in 2022?
2022 promises to be a huge year for sport, with some of the biggest sporting events in the world kicking off. As well as the regular running events such as the Indian Premier League, English Premier League and Pro Kabaddi League, 2022 will see the FIFA World Cup and the Commonwealth games. Here are a few of the biggest upcoming events in 2022:
- 2022 FIFA World Cup – Every four years, the best national football teams in the world have a chance to compete for the biggest prize in world football. The FIFA World Cup is the biggest sporting event on the planet, with the 2018 final watched by over 1 billion people. India hasn’t qualified for the tournament, but that won’t stop this from being a must-watch event. The World Cup is also an excellent betting opportunity, and all good online sportsbooks will offer plenty of pre-match and in-play markets.
- 2022 Commonwealth Games – The Commonwealth Games is a multi-sport event that features some of the best athletes from the Commonwealth nations, including India. The event, like the Olympics, features thousands of athletes participating in a wide range of different sports and is always exciting to watch. Most good sportsbooks will accept bets on most of the events throughout this competition, and it’s a great chance to enjoy some new sports such as judo, table tennis and lawn bowls as well as the more popular sports such as cricket and athletics.
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